Here are the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Wednesday.
Some Toronto pharmacies will soon administer COVID-19 vaccines
The Ontario government has released a list of more than 325 pharmacies that will be administering Oxford-AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine in Toronto, Kingston and Windsor-Essex.
The provincial government said as of Friday, participating pharmacies will be offering the shot to eligible Ontarians aged 60 to 64, or born between 1957 and 1961, by appointment only.
Ontario expands COVID-19 vaccine rollout to family doctors
Some Ontarians aged 60 to 64 will be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine at their doctor’s office as soon as this weekend, the government said Wednesday as it further expanded its immunization effort.
The initiative will start in Toronto, Peel Region, Hamilton, Guelph, Peterborough, and Simcoe-Muskoka, with doctors administering the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot. The province plans to expand the program as vaccine supply increases.
City of Toronto to open 133,000 COVID-19 vaccine appointments for residents 80 and older
The City of Toronto will be opening around 133,000 COVID-19 vaccine appointments for residents aged 80 and older, with bookings set to begin Friday.
In a news release issued Wednesday, officials said registration will open on Friday on the City’s website for appointments between March 17 and April 11.
Residents born in 1941 or earlier are eligible, the release said.
Toronto’s Sunnybrook hospital building field unit in parking lot amid 3rd COVID-19 wave fears
For the first time in its history, Toronto’s Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre will see a self-contained, mobile facility built on one of its parking lots amid concerns about a potential third wave of the pandemic and a surge of coronavirus cases.
“At first glance, these appear to be tents (but) they are very sophisticated in nature,” Robert Burgess, Sunnybrook’s senior director of patient flow, emergency preparedness and pre-hospital medicine, told Global News outside of the Bayview Avenue-area site on Wednesday.
Brampton funeral home to temporarily close after more than 60 people reportedly inside
Staff with the Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO) say they have temporarily suspended the licences of a Brampton funeral home and a manager after more than 60 people were allowed indoors, contravening coronavirus-related restrictions.
A statement issued by the regulatory body on Tuesday said the Brampton Crematorium and Visitation Centre, located on Bramwin Court near Torbram Road and Steeles Avenue East, will not be permitted to operate for 15 days beginning on March 15.
Mississauga mayor pushes for city to be moved into red zone
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie is pushing for her city to be moved into the red zone of the province’s coronavirus response framework, which would allow for a further loosening of restrictions.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Crombie said case counts in the city have improved since last week.
“I believe this is the right time for Mississauga to move into the red zone, with or without the rest of (Peel Region) so that more of our businesses can reopen,” she said.
Ontario to spend $255 million to address COVID-19 outbreaks in homeless shelters
Ontario says it will give municipalities and Indigenous communities $255 million to address an increase in COVID-19 outbreaks in homeless shelters across the province.
The government says communities can use the funding to acquire motel and hotel spaces to support physical distancing, hire more shelter staff, and buy more personal protective equipment.
The funds can also be used to purchase cleaning supplies and be added to rent and utility banks to keep people from becoming homeless.
Toronto will receive $94.5 million of the funding to prevent outbreaks in its shelters.
Status of cases in the GTA
Ontario reported a total of 1,316 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday.
Of those:
- 428 were in Toronto
- 244 were in Peel Region
- 149 were in York Region
- 48 were in Durham Region
- 48 were in Halton Region
Ontario reports more than 1,300 new coronavirus cases, 16 more deaths
Ontario is reporting 1,316 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the provincial total to 312,428.
The death toll in the province has risen to 7,099 as 16 more deaths were recorded.
Resolved cases increased by 1,212 from the previous day. The government said 54,149 tests were processed in the last 24 hours.
As of 8 p.m. Tuesday, the provincial government reported administering 978,797 COVID-19 vaccine doses, representing an increase of 35,264 in the last day. There are 279,204 people fully vaccinated in the province with two doses.
Cases, deaths and outbreaks in Ontario long-term care homes
According to the Ministry of Long-Term Care, there have been 3,748 deaths reported among residents and patients in long-term care homes across Ontario which is unchanged.
There are 84 current outbreaks in homes, which is a down by one from the previous day.
The ministry also indicated there are currently 55 active cases among long-term care residents and 134 active cases among staff — down by one and down by two cases, respectively, in the last day.
Cases among students and staff at Ontario schools, child care centres
Government figures show there have been a total of 9,681 school-related COVID-19 cases in Ontario to date. This is an increase of 194 more cases in the last day — 159 student cases, 31 staff cases and four individuals were not identified.
The COVID-19 cases are currently from 816 out of 4,828 schools in the province. Thirty-four schools in Ontario are currently closed as a result of positive cases, the government indicated.
There have been a total of 2,922 confirmed cases within child care centres and homes — an increase of 43 (28 new child cases and 15 staff cases). Out of 5,273 child care centres in Ontario, 174 currently have cases and 41 centres are closed.
— With files from The Canadian Press