With Ontario reporting 409 new COVID-19 cases for the second day in a row, the government has announced all strip clubs across the province will be closed and bars, nightclubs, and restaurants will no longer be allowed to sell alcohol after 11 p.m.
In addition, except for takeout and delivery, all establishments must close by midnight and remain closed until 5 a.m., and alcohol cannot be consumed on the premises (including by employees) from midnight until 9 a.m. All the new measures come into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday (September 26).
The government says it’s implementing the new restrictions because of outbreak clusters in restaurants, bars, and other food and drink establishments, including strip clubs, with most cases in the 20 to 39 age group.
Half of today’s 409 cases are in Toronto (204) with smaller increases in Peel (66), Ottawa (40), York (33), Halton (12), Durham (12), Simcoe-Muskoka (9), and Middlesex-London (8). The remaining 25 public health units are reporting 5 or fewer cases, with 13 reporting no new cases.
Of today’s new cases, 65% are among people under the age of 40. There is 1 new death, with hospitalizations stable. The backlog of tests under investigation has increased by 11,387 to 65,227 — the highest number of tests under investigation since the pandemic began.
There are 29 new cases to report in Ontario’s publicly funded schools, including 10 student cases, 10 staff cases, and 9 cases among people who are unidentified. There are 2 new child cases in licensed child care settings.
In the greater Kawarthas region, 1 new case is being reported in Kawartha Lakes and 1 new case is being reported in Prince Edward and Hastings counties. There are no new cases in Peterborough, Northumberland, or Haliburton County. There are currently 9 active cases in Peterborough, 6 in Northumberland, 1 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Prince Edward and Hastings counties,
Although the Ontario report of cases in schools and child care settings does not identify any in the greater Kawarthas region, Peterborough Public Health reported 3 student cases at Adam Scott Collegiate Vocational Institute on September 24.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 116 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (105 resolved with 2 deaths), 179 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (159 resolved with 32 deaths), 43 in Northumberland County (36 resolved with 1 death), 15 in Haliburton County (15 resolved with no deaths), and 53 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County (47 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on September 8.
Province-wide, there have been 48,905 confirmed cases, an increase of 409 from yesterday, with 42,169 (86.2% of all cases) resolved, an increase of 283. There have been 2,837 deaths, an increase of 1 from yesterday, with 1,831 deaths reported in long-term care homes, an increase of 2 from yesterday. A total of 3,722,479 tests have been completed, an increase of 41,865 from yesterday, with 65,227 tests under investigation, an increase of 11,387 from yesterday.
This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.
Peterborough Public Health
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
Confirmed positive: 116 (no change)
Active cases: 9 (no change)
Deaths: 2 (no change)
Resolved: 105 (no change)
Total tests completed: Over 28,200 (increase of 200)
Institutional outbreaks: Fairhaven (no change)
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
The health unit provides reports on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from September 23 and will be updated when a report is issued by the health unit later this afternoon.
Confirmed positive: 236, including 178 in Kawartha Lakes, 43 in Northumberland, 15 in Haliburton (increase of 2 in Northumberland)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 15 (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 209, including 159 in Kawartha Lakes, 35 in Northumberland, 15 in Haliburton (increase of 1 in Northumberland)
Active cases: 7 in Northumberland (increase of 1)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
The health unit provides reports on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 53 (increase of 1)
Active cases: 1 (increase of 1)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change)
Recovered: 47 (no change)
Total tests completed: 35,545 (increase of 3,132)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 48,905 (increase of 409)
Resolved: 42,169 (increase of 283, 86.2% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 87 (decrease of 1)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 25 (increase of 2)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 13 (increase of 2)
Deaths: 2,837 (increase of 1)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,831 (increase of 2)
Total tests completed: 3,722,479 (increase of 41,865)*
Tests under investigation: 65,227 (increase of 11,387)
*This number includes test volumes that were not reported on September 24 due to a technical issue.
For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.
