The Ontario government is preparing for a potential extension of existing stay-at-home orders if the province does not see a significant drop in daily COVID-19 case counts.
This would be an extension on top of the previously projected end date of May 20th, moving instead until at least June 2nd as the province continues to reckon with the pandemic’s aggressive third wave.
Ford declared a state of emergency on April 16, which curbed activities like golf, tennis, and basketball, in a bid to keep people from going out and spreading COVID-19.https://t.co/PQb8v04KKs
— Toronto Star (@TorontoStar) May 10, 2021
According to Ontario health minister Christine Elliott, the current and relatively gradual drops in daily COVID-19 cases are not enough to relax current restrictions and measures anytime soon, and that the province would need to see a significant decline in new cases and ICU admissions before moves would be made to open back up.
Reopening any sooner, with case numbers still at dangerous heights, would likely send the province spiralling into a fourth wave of the pandemic, despite vaccination efforts across Ontario ramping up thanks to increases in dose supply.
Currently, the province is reporting over 1,700 patients in Ontario hospitals battling COVID-19, with over 800 in intensive care and over 500 currently breathing with the assistance of a ventilator.
On Tuesday, Ontario reported its lowest count of new confirmed COVID-19 cases since March 24, with 2,073 new COVID-19 cases confirmed. 94 of today’s reported cases are in Hamilton.
Read more about COVID-19 in Ontario here.
There are no comments
Add comment