Toronto hospital declares ongoing COVID-19 outbreak
A Toronto health network has confirmed to CTV News they are taking action with an ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 believed to have originated at one of their hospitals.
Unity Health said they have shut the 2E Medicine ward at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Toronto, tested patients and staff, and started heightened cleaning after two infections were reported.
“We are reaching out to any patients, staff, physicians and learners who had direct contact with a positive case,” said spokesperson Jennifer Stranges in a statement. “We have also taken many measures to ensure the outbreak is contained.”
One positive case was a patient and the other was a staff member, she said. The hospital does have another COVID-19 patient it’s treating but that case is unrelated.
On Friday, Public Health Ontario said it had counted 340 new cases — the highest since mid-June. The new cases and the outbreaks are likely a result of reopening, Dr. Anna Banerji of the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health said.
“It’s not surprising. We’ve lifted a lot of the public health measures. People are getting together. They’re not using as many masks. If you look on the street you can see a lot of people gathering again,” she said.
Cases remain well below the historic highs earlier this year, and with more people vaccinated the risk of deaths and other consequences of infection is smaller for those who are vaccinated, she said.
Other recent outbreaks in Toronto include one at a Yonge Street Warehouse, which was declared over on August 2, and a McDonald’s location, declared over on July 29. It’s not clear whether the McDonalds outbreak was at a restaurant or a corporate office.
A concrete company, Premform Limited, is also listed as having an ongoing outbreak.
People on Yonge Street in Toronto took the news as a reminder the pandemic is not over.
“I don’t spend too much time in malls. I’m in and out. Lots of places with airflow, that’s where I like to be,” Jennifer Murphy said.
“If you’re not vaccinated, get vaccinated. Leave the YouTube videos alone and listen to the experts,” Evan Griffiths said.
One man, Arthur Gogave, said he doubted vaccines, getting a lot of his information from the internet. But four months ago, his 64-year-old aunt died after a COVID-19 infection he believes came from a hospital.
“It changed my mind, I didn’t believe it, but then I realized it was serious after it caught my family,” he said.
Gogave said he’s now vaccinated.
But Dr. Bannerji said it shouldn’t take personal losses to motivate people to get vaccinated, saying mandatory vaccinations should be a condition of going to many workplaces and to school.
“We really need to change the way we think about COVID-19. We need to keep places safe, homes safe, workplaces safe, schools safe. The best way to do that is through vaccination,” she said.
A CTV News and Nanos Poll shows that three out of four Canadians support or somewhat support mandatory vaccinations. Those numbers also hold in Ontario.
The poll asked 1,002 Canadians 18 years of age or older between July 30 to August 2, 2021. The margin of error is +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20.
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.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
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.
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.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
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.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.
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.
New Canadian study could be a lifesaver for thousands suffering from CTE
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.
Rape, terror and death at sea: How a boat carrying Rohingya children, women and men capsized
In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Indonesia. Until now, little was known about why the boat capsized.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.