Ontario launching "all-new" Tools Grant program; forgiving loans - Electrical Business
- by Virginia Carter
- in World Media
- — May 25, 2020
"If I've got to make robocalls to get people out, I will", said Ford. "Yes, because no one could be worse than Ontario", he said, noting that B.C. has seen only one-tenth the number of cases Ontario has.
Ottawa Public Health is still encouraging anyone with even mild COVID-19 symptoms to get tested at either the Brewer Arena assessement centre or one of the COVID-19 care clinics.
The Ministry of Long-Term Care reports 1,525 long-term care residents and six staff have died, and there are 1,948 active cases in residents and 1,392 active cases in staff.
According to the epidemiological report provided by Public Health Ontario, more than 61 per cent of the province's total cases have been the result of an outbreak or close contact of a confirmed case.
After reopening Ontario Tuesday under the first of a three-phase gradual reopening process, Elliott said the province stands in good stead at the moment as the number of COVID-19 cases trends downward with the exception of Tuesday's single-day increase.
Dr. Wajid Ahmed, the medical officer of health, announced a plan to ramp up testing in the community where there are now more than 840 cases of the virus.
"I was sitting at the health table this morning and what I have asked and what I want because there is a difference between what I want and what is going to happen and hopefully it is going to happen because I have confidence in Public Health and I have confidence in Ontario Health".
Meanwhile, Ontario's testing program - a crucial part of any government's ability to know where COVID-19 cases are and plan its response - is falling behind again.
"We're pretty well at a plateau, whereas we hoped to keep coming down", he said.
They add that 15 "high-quality and promising proposals" will be paid for through the $20-million Ontario COVID-19 Rapid Research Fund.
Twenty-five new deaths were also reported, bringing the province's COVID-19 death toll to 2,073.
As the economy gradually reopens, the Ontario government is helping people affected by COVID-19 get back to work.
The Ministry of Health said there were 984 people still in hospital, including 155 in intensive care and 117 of them on ventilators to assist with breathing.
Dr. Wajid Ahmed, the medical officer of health with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, announced a plan Friday to ramp up testing in the community where there are now more than 840 cases of the virus. Health officials have said they expected to see much more demand for tests under new criteria allowing any symptomatic person to be tested, but it didn't materialize over the long weekend.
The Greater Toronto Area public health units account for more than half of the cases at 63.6%.