The City of Toronto continues to respond to COVID-19. Today, Mayor John Tory, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa and Fire Chief and General Manager of the Office of Emergency Management Matthew Pegg provided an update on the City’s measures to prevent the spread of the virus and vaccinate Torontonians in accordance with the Province of Ontario’s vaccine rollout.
Since the start of the pandemic there have been a total of 103,002 cases of COVID-19 in the city, an increase of 387 new cases today. There are 282 people hospitalized. To date, there have been 2,721 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. In total, 95,746 people have recovered. Case status data can be found on the City’s reporting platform.
Dr. de Villa elaborated on COVID-19 trends in Toronto and stressed the importance adhering to public health recommendations. Toronto’s seven-day moving average for new COVID-19 cases is 420, which is an increase from 354 on March 9. The reproductive number for variants of concern is 1.2 and the reproductive number for overall cases is 1.1. Although case numbers are increasing, the most recent figures received by Toronto Public Health measuring mobile device time at home show a decline in device-time spent at home to 78.6 per cent from 81 per cent in January – meaning fewer people are staying close to home. The data also indicated more Torontonians are travelling to areas where restrictions are lower.
As Toronto awaits the rollout of mass immunization, to reduce and eliminate the transmission of COVID-19, protect the healthcare system and save lives, the City continues to urge all residents to stay home as much as possible to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Please review the City’s simple “Dos” and “Don’ts” guide for recommended and mandatory public health measures. The guide communicates some of what is and what is not permitted under provincial regulations and City bylaws.
Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.