COVID-19: Latest developments in the Greater Toronto Area on April 16

Here are the latest developments on the COVID-19 pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Friday:

University Health Network says two of its hospitals are installing tents outside the emergency room areas amid a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations.

The health network said Toronto Western Hospital and Toronto General Hospital are utilizing the tents to give more space for people waiting to ensure there is more physical distance between people waiting to be seen.

The tents are expected to be fully installed by the end of the weekend, UHN said.

The Ontario government says hospitals will be transferring patients to long-term care homes as they become overburdened with patients amid the COVID-19 third wave.

“Our health care system is facing unprecedented challenges that call for immediate, collective action,” a statement from the office of the ministry of long-term care said.

The plan is to place at least 1,500 patients across 626 long-term care homes in Ontario.

“As part of our ongoing work to modernize homes and keep residents safe, new admissions will not place people into spaces needed for isolation or into third and fourth beds in ward rooms,” the statement continued.

Ontario reported 4,812 new coronavirus cases on Friday.

Of those:

• 1,469 were in Toronto
• 851 were in Peel Region
• 491 were in York Region
• 268 were in Durham Region
• 175 were in Halton Region

Ontario is reporting 4,812 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, marking another single-day high for the second day in a row. The provincial total now stands at 408,383.

The death toll in the province has risen to 7,664 as 25 more deaths were recorded.

Resolved cases increased by 3,151 from the previous day. The government said 64,304 tests were processed in the last 24 hours.

Ontario reported a record 1,955 people are hospitalized with COVID-19 (up by 23 from the previous day) with an all-time high of 701 patients in intensive care units (up by 42) and 480 patients in ICUs on a ventilator (up by 38).

A total of 3,644,038 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered. That marks an increase of 115,634 vaccines in the last day which is the most vaccine administered in 24 hours. There are 341,933 people fully vaccinated with two doses.

Officials have listed breakdown data for the new VOCs (variants of concern) detected so far in the province which consist of the B.1.1.7 (first detected in the United Kingdom), B.1.351 (first detected in South Africa), P.1 (first detected in Brazil), as well as mutations that have no determined lineage.

The B.1.1.7 VOC is currently the dominating known strain at 30,175 variant cases, which is up by 2,897 since the previous day, 99 B.1.351 variant cases which is up by four, and 202 P.1 variant cases which is up by 11.

According to the Ministry of Long-Term Care, there have been 3,755 deaths reported among residents and patients in long-term care homes across Ontario which did not increase from yesterday. Eleven virus-related deaths in total have been reported among staff.

There are 38 current outbreaks in homes, which is down by two from the previous day.

The ministry also indicated there are currently 26 active cases among long-term care residents and 119 active cases among staff — up by four and down by two, respectively, in the last day.

NOTE: This page will be updated throughout the day.