Ontario Appears to have reached COVID 19 Peak: Health Experts

Ontario appears to have reached the peak of COVID-19 spread according to health experts.  New modelling was shared showing the community spread has slowed.

“COVID-19 continues to be a clear and present danger, especially to our seniors and most vulnerable citizens,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said.  The province reports 367 deaths in Long-term care homes.  Other highlights are as follows:

• Outbreaks in long-term care and congregate settings continue to be a major concern. Concerted actions are underway to protect vulnerable people in these settings.
• Ontario is now trending toward a best case scenario rather than a worst case scenario and has significantly improved its standing as compared to March modelling.
• The province has avoided a significant surge in cases. Total cumulative cases are forecast to be substantially lower than worst case or even moderate case scenarios projected by previous models.
• While several hundred new cases are identified daily in Ontario, hospitals across the province have not been overwhelmed by the COVID-19 outbreak as a result of capacity planning and the public health measures currently in place. The rate of growth day-over-day is declining.
• To further reduce the number of cases and deaths, it remains critical that Ontarians continue to adhere to public health measures, including staying home and practicing physical distancing if they must go out for essential reasons only.

“The information released today shows early but unmistakable signs that our efforts are working,” Health Minister and Deputy Premier Christine Elliott said.  The focus continues to be on protecting long-term care homes.  As of this morning, there were 114 outbreaks at Long Term Care homes across the province.  The Ford government announced a three-step strategy that included limiting staff to working at only one care home.   The province recorded 606 new cases overnight.