With Ontario reporting 313 new cases today — the largest daily increase since early June — Premier Doug Ford is warning Ontarians that a second wave of COVID-19 is coming.
“Together we kept the numbers down all summer, but we all know that a second wave of this virus is coming,” Ford said at a media conference at Queen’s Park on Monday (September 14) with health minister Christine Elliott, education minister Stephen Lecce, and finance minister Rod Phillips.
“We see it all over the world. This virus is amongst us and it’s spreading. So the only question left is how bad will the second wave be? And the answer to that question is up to all of us.”
The last time the province reported a daily increase of this size was on June 6th, when 415 new cases were reported. Of today’s new cases, the majority continue to be in Toronto (112), Peel (71), and Ottawa (60). Of the 749 new cases reported over the past three days, Toronto makes up 34 per cent of the cases, Peel 23 per cent, and Ottawa 18 per cent.
“Today’s numbers are a cause for concern for all of us,” Ford said. “Let me be crystal clear: every option is on the table. We will take every step necessary, including further shutdowns.” Ford later said any lockdowns would be regional, recognizing that some areas of the province have no COVID-19 cases.
In addition to the hotspots of Toronto, Peel, and Ottawa, the number of public health units reporting more than five cases is also increasing, including in York (13), Durham (9), Halton (7), Waterloo (7), Middlesex-London (6), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (6), and Simoe Muskoka (6). The remaining 25 public health units are reporting five or fewer cases, with 15 reporting no new cases.
Over the past three days, almost 70 per cent of the new cases across Ontario are among people under the age of 40. Ford said large social gatherings are the biggest problem.
“I’m begging you, please just cut out the social gatherings,” Ford said. “It’s just not worth it, because COVID is ramping up again and we just can’t have the large social gatherings. We have to make sure we’re very vigilant, and we don’t take our eye off the ball. Not everyone, but small percentages are getting lax in the protocols and guidance, and think everything is okay, and it’s coming back to bite us.”
Health minister Elliott said the increase in today’s numbers is “disturbing and significant” and reiterated that people must follow public health guidelines.
“We don’t want to have to shut things down or lock things down again, but it is absolutely essential that people continue to follow the rules with respect to social gatherings — not go to large groups where people are not practising these hygiene measures, because that’s what’s causing COVID-19 to spread,” Elliott said.
“I know it’s been a long time, but it’s not going to be forever. So please continue to follow those rules, and hopefully we’ll come out of the second wave just as well as we came out of the first.”
Elliott said the government will soon be releasing a “robust fall preparedness plan” that also takes into account the approaching flu season and reduced capacity of the hospital system due to the first wave.
As for the possibility of future regional lockdowns, Elliott said the additional measures will be based on a combination of factors, including the number of new cases and new hospitalizations, as well as advice from the province’s health experts.
Province of Ontario
September 11 (reported September 12)
Confirmed positive: 44,300 (increase of 232)
Resolved: 39,717 (increase of 119, 89.7% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 43 (decrease of 6)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 18 (decrease of 6)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 8 (decrease of 1)
Deaths: 2,814 (increase of 1)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,817 (no change)
Total tests completed: 3,281,455 (increase of 35,618)
Tests under investigation: 30,491 (decrease of 893)
September 12 (reported September 13)
Confirmed positive: 44,504 (increase of 204)
Resolved: 39,841 (increase of 124, 89.5% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 39 (decrease of 4)*
Hospitalized and in ICU: 14 (decrease of 4)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 9 (increase of 1)
Deaths: 2,815 (increase of 1)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,818 (increase of 1)
Total tests completed: 3,312,598 (increase of 31,143)
Tests under investigation: 26,765 (decrease of 3,726)
*Around 35 hospitals did not submit data to the daily bed census for September 11. The number of hospitalized patients may increase when reporting compliance increases.
September 13 (reported September 14)
Confirmed positive: 44,817 (increase of 313)
Resolved: 39,974 (increase of 133, 89.2% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 47 (increase of 8)*
Hospitalized and in ICU: 17 (increase of 3)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 8 (decrease of 1)
Deaths: 2,816 (increase of 1)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,818 (no change)
Total tests completed: 3,342,138 (increase of 29,540)
Tests under investigation: 19,260 (decrease of 7,505)
*Around 35 hospitals did not submit data to the daily bed census for September 12. The number of hospitalized patients may increase when reporting compliance increases.
For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.
