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Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-covid-19-cases-lockdown-christmas-holiday-1.5844704
As Ontario's COVID-19 cases keep rising, calls grow for tighter holiday lockdown
Hospitals expect coronavirus patient numbers to increase through Christmas and New Year's
Mike Crawley ? CBC News ? Posted: Dec 17, 2020 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: 2 hours ago
Ontario reported 932 patients with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in hospitals on Wednesday, the highest that number has been since May. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)
COVID-19 is spreading more rapidly in Ontario's biggest cities than at any point in the pandemic, prompting calls to strengthen and expand the province's lockdown measures through the holidays.
The calls come as Ontario's second wave of COVID-19 hits new heights: the average trend of new confirmed cases daily is above 2,000 for the first time, the number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus has surpassed 900, and the cumulative death toll now exceeds 4,000.
Momentum for tighter restrictions built Thursday morning as the province reported a single-day record of 2,432 new cases.
Also Thursday, the Ontario Hospital Association's board of directors urged the government to impose a four-week lockdown in all public health units where COVID-19 infections are spreading at red-zone levels or higher. It also called for the actual lockdown measures to be "rapidly re-evaluated by independent public health and epidemiological experts to determine if additional, stricter provisions are necessary."
Meanwhile, Ontario Health is telling hospitals to be ready to clear beds within 48 hours for a surge in patients. The education ministry is urging teachers and students to take home anything they may require for remote learning when schools close Friday for the winter break...
As Ontario's COVID-19 cases keep rising, calls grow for tighter holiday lockdown
Hospitals expect coronavirus patient numbers to increase through Christmas and New Year's
Mike Crawley ? CBC News ? Posted: Dec 17, 2020 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: 2 hours ago
Ontario reported 932 patients with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in hospitals on Wednesday, the highest that number has been since May. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)
COVID-19 is spreading more rapidly in Ontario's biggest cities than at any point in the pandemic, prompting calls to strengthen and expand the province's lockdown measures through the holidays.
The calls come as Ontario's second wave of COVID-19 hits new heights: the average trend of new confirmed cases daily is above 2,000 for the first time, the number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus has surpassed 900, and the cumulative death toll now exceeds 4,000.
Momentum for tighter restrictions built Thursday morning as the province reported a single-day record of 2,432 new cases.
Also Thursday, the Ontario Hospital Association's board of directors urged the government to impose a four-week lockdown in all public health units where COVID-19 infections are spreading at red-zone levels or higher. It also called for the actual lockdown measures to be "rapidly re-evaluated by independent public health and epidemiological experts to determine if additional, stricter provisions are necessary."
Meanwhile, Ontario Health is telling hospitals to be ready to clear beds within 48 hours for a surge in patients. The education ministry is urging teachers and students to take home anything they may require for remote learning when schools close Friday for the winter break...