Ontario's uptick in COVID-19 cases could put an early move to Step 1 in jeopardy, top official says
A rise in COVID-19 cases over the past two days has prompted Ontario's top doctor to warn the chances of an earlier reopening are looking "less promising."
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams told reporters on Thursday he’s concerned about the recent uptick, and said it could potentially be attributed to the Victoria Day long weekend.
Ontario confirmed 870 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, which comes after 699 new infections on Tuesday and 733 on Wednesday.
Despite the daily uptick in cases, Ontario's rolling seven-day average continues to drop and is currently at 940.
"I hope we don't have a continual rise over the weekend," Williams said. "Getting over 1,000 again, that would be disappointing to say the least."
"Let's hope we can turn that around."
Williams said he would have "better answers" for Premier Doug Ford and Health Minister Christine Elliott next week about whether Ontario can enter Step 1 before June 14.
He said he wants to ensure the increase in cases is "just a temporary one."
Earlier on Thursday, Elliott said she understands that people are anxious to move into Step 1 and are waiting for a decision on whether that timeline can be pushed up by a few day.
“But we can only do that when it's safe for everyone’s health for that to happen," Elliott said, adding there was no word on when the final decision would be made.
She said the province is also tracking the increase in variant cases, especially the "delta variant," first discovered in India.
"The number have gone up slightly today, but generally they are trending downwards," Elliott said. "We're going to continue to follow the data."
Premier Doug Ford said on Wednesday, while announcing schools will not reopen this academic year, that he's waiting for advice from Williams about whether the province can push forward the Step 1 date.
Step 1 allows for Ontario to relax restrictions that mainly involving outdoor activities.
Outdoor gathering limits will increase to 10 people, patios can reopen, and non-essential retail reopens at 15 per cent capacity.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
'A huge difference': These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
OPINION No reunion between Prince Harry and the King signifies a setback for royal unity
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they're now named Scouting America
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
NEW For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
Spanish prosecutors recommend 2nd investigation into Shakira's taxes be thrown out
Spanish state prosecutors recommended Wednesday that an investigating judge shelve a probe into another alleged case of tax fraud by pop star Shakira.