Here are the latest developments on the COVID-19 pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Wednesday:
Ontario Premier Doug Ford in isolation after staff member tests positive for COVID-19
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s office has announced he is self-isolating after being in close contact with a staff member in his office who tested positive for COVID-19.
According to a statement issued late Tuesday, Ford was in contact with the affected staff member on Monday.
The statement said that staff member was tested on Tuesday after being told they came into contact with someone who had COVID-19. It went on to say the employee received a positive test result Tuesday evening.
‘Assume that they might have COVID’: Peel’s top doctor says after 22% test positivity in Brampton
Peel Region’s medical officer of health Dr. Lawrence Loh says Brampton’s test positivity has now reached above 20 per cent, meaning one in five COVID-19 tests are coming back positive.
“That is why we have always advised people, if you are meeting people outside of the people that you already live with, assume that they might have COVID,” Loh said.
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“Assume that they might have been exposed and they might be incubating. Always wear a mask, always distance, stick to the precautions as much as possible. Get vaccinated where you can,” Loh continued. “22.4 per cent just increases that possibility even more. That any interaction with anyone outside your household may result in transmission.”
Status of cases in the GTA
Ontario reported 4,212 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday.
Of those:
- 1,249 were in Toronto
- 771 were in Peel Region
- 386 were in York Region
- 214 were in Durham Region
- 276 were in Hamilton
- 201 were in Niagara
Ontario reports more than 4,200 new COVID-19 cases, 32 deaths
Ontario is reporting 4,212 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday. The provincial total now stands at 429,123.
Wednesday’s case count has jumped back into the 4,000s after Tuesday recorded 3,469 new cases, although more tests were processed. Prior to that, cases were above 4,000 for the last six days.
The death toll in the province has risen to 7,789 as 32 more deaths were recorded.
As of 8 p.m. on Tuesday, a total of 4,131,882 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered. That marks an increase of 136,695 vaccines in the last day, the most vaccines administered within a 24-hour period. There are 349,396 people fully vaccinated with two doses.
Resolved cases increased by 4,204 from the previous day. The government said 51,877 tests were processed in the last 24 hours.
Variants of concern in Ontario
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 41,395 variant cases, which is up by 2,119 since the previous day, 108 B.1.351 variant cases which is up by three, and 211 P.1 variant cases which is up by one.
Cases, deaths and outbreaks in Ontario long-term care homes
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 is unchanged. Eleven virus-related deaths in total have been reported among staff.
There are 34 current outbreaks in homes, which is down by two from the previous day.
The ministry also indicated there are currently 37 active cases among long-term care residents and 122 active cases among staff — down by one and down by six, respectively, in the last day.
—With files from The Canadian Press
Note: This is a developing story and will be updated throughout the day.
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