News Release
April 21, 2021

The City of Toronto continues to respond to COVID-19. During today’s COVID-19 update with Mayor John Tory and Fire Chief and General Manager of the Office of Emergency Management Matthew Pegg,  Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa stressed the seriousness of the third wave of COVID-19 in Toronto and reported a record numbers of people hospitalized and in critical condition due to the virus.

Since the start of the pandemic there have been a total of 136,833 cases of COVID-19 in the city, an increase of 1,302 new cases today. There are 1,010 people hospitalized. To date, there have been 2,970 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. In total, 119,854 people have recovered. Case status data can be found on the Toronto Public Health’s reporting dashboard.

Dr. de Villa today stressed the seriousness of Toronto’s COVID-19 case and hospitalization numbers. Of the 1,010 people in hospital in Toronto, 194 people are in the ICU and 128 are intubated. The numbers of individuals hospitalized, in the ICU and intubated are today the highest they have been throughout the pandemic. In the past week, 93 people have died from COVID-19. At the current rate of loss of life, Toronto will reach the sad milestone of 3,000 lives lost to COVID-19 within the week.

The only way to stop the third wave of COVID-19 is to stay home, stay apart, keep careful distance from people from other households even when outdoors, wear a mask and get vaccinated as soon as possible. Anyone hesitant about vaccination is strongly encouraged to find a trusted healthcare expert and talk through any hesitancy. The City also has a number of resources, including a series of virtual town hall meeting recordings, about vaccination safety, science and history, on the COVID-19: Benefits of Getting Vaccinated webpage.

Toronto is in the Shutdown Zone of the Province’s COVID-19 response framework and subject to a provincial Stay-at-Home order. Everyone in the city should be staying home except for essential reasons such as going out for groceries or exercise and being sure to stay as close to home as possible. Please review the City’s COVID-19: Guide for Residents for information on what is and 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.

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