Ontario's top doctor to provide COVID-19 update for first time in 4 weeks
CBC
Ontario's chief medical officer of health, Dr. Kieran Moore, is set to provide an update today on how the province is managing COVID-19 and expanding access to antivirals as cases and hospitalizations continue to surge.
The news conference will be the first Moore has held since early March.
He is set to speak at 1 p.m. ET at Queen's Park. You'll be able to watch it live in this story.
Wastewater surveillance suggests cases have been on the rise since mid to late March.
The scientific director of Ontario's panel of COVID-19 advisers has said the latest wastewater data suggests daily case counts for the virus are hovering around 100,000 to 120,000.
Dr. Peter Jüni, who heads the science table, said last week it's unclear how long this wave of the pandemic will last, since limits on testing make it difficult to know how many people have been infected and have some immunity.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 hospitalizations were up 40 per cent last week from the previous one, though they dropped significantly over the weekend. However, it's important to note that upwards of 10 per cent of hospitals do not report their data on weekends.
Asked several times why Moore has not held a news conference in recent weeks as the province sees climbing case counts and hospitalizations, Health Minister Christine Elliott said the rise in cases was anticipated as the province reopened, and officials will continue to follow Moore's advice.
"Dr. Moore has recommended that masks don't need to be worn except in certain circumstances in hospitals, in long term care homes and other congregate settings where it's necessary for the protection of people," Elliott said at the legislature Thursday.
"Should Dr. Moore change his views in the coming days we will be making those changes as necessary, but as for wearing masks it is something that is voluntary, although most people are choosing to wear masks in crowded public spaces and we anticipate they will continue to do so."
Last week, the province expanded eligibility for fourth doses of a COVID-19 vaccine to those 60 and older, as well as Indigenous residents and adult members of their household.
Fourth doses were already available to long-term care and retirement home residents and immunocompromised people in Ontario.
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