Ford cabinet to discuss new public health restrictions in Ontario as COVID-19 cases spike: sources
CBC
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is meeting with his cabinet on Sunday to discuss additional public health restrictions, CBC News has learned.
Two sources, who spoke with CBC News on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media, said the cabinet meeting is being held Sunday afternoon.
Ontario reintroduced capacity limits at restaurants, bars and retailers on Dec. 19, in an effort to slow the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
The meeting comes as the province sees record numbers of COVID-19 cases linked to the highly transmissible variant.
Ontario recorded 16,714 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, down from Saturday's pandemic high of 18,445 cases.
The province reported 13,807 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and 16,713 on Friday.
The number of active cases in the province has now crossed the 100,000 mark.
Public Health Ontario warned on Saturday that the daily case record was "an underestimate" given changes to testing eligibility and Omicron's quick spread.
Ontario's hospital networks warned on Sunday that hospitals are feeling the brunt of soaring COVID-19 case counts as the virus rips through the province at record speed and infects high numbers of patients and health-care workers.
The situation has become so serious that some hospital networks are reporting hundreds of their staff members have tested positive for the virus, are symptomatic or are in isolation after an exposure.
Kevin Smith, president and CEO of Toronto's University Health Network, said those factors combined have resulted in at least 100 staff absences per day as the highly transmissible Omicron variant drives case counts to unprecedented highs across the province.
Current restrictions in Ontario cap social gathering limits at 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors, while capacity limits at most indoor settings have been cut in half.
The number of people sitting at a table in restaurants and bars is limited to 10. Patrons must remain seated at restaurants, bars, meeting and event spaces and strip clubs.
Bars and restaurants, meeting and event spaces and strip clubs must close by 11 p.m., but takeout and delivery are allowed past that time.
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