TORONTO -- Ontario's Telehealth network is back up and running after a technical issue saw the service shut down for most of the day, a spoksperson says.
Many residents calling about the COVID-19 pandemic were greeted with an automatic message Wednesday saying they were experiencing “telephone difficulties” and that people should try calling back later.
Ontario Minister of Health Christine Elliott addressed the issue on social media, saying that the government was working with the service to resolve the problem.
“We understand people are having difficulty connecting with Telehealth. Please know we are actively working with the vendor to resolve any immediate issues and, as of this morning, added an additional 300 lines. More will be done as we further expand capacity in the coming days,” she said in a tweet.
The problem was first reported Wednesday morning and was back "up and running" by 9:30 p.m., according to a spokesperson for Elliott.
A message on the government’s website dedicated to COVID-19 updates says they were experiencing “technical issues with the Telehealth Ontario Line” and that anyone who needs medical assistance should contact their local public health units.
“We are working to resolve this issue and apologize for any inconvenience,” the message reads.
Elliott's office confirmed to CTV News Toronto that the addition of 300 lines to the Telehealth system is what caused the issue.
