TORONTO — Ontario is reporting 426 new COVID-19 cases today — the largest number so far — including four new deaths.
It represents a nearly 22 per cent increase and brings the provincial total to 2,392.
That includes 37 deaths and 689 cases that have been resolved.
The number of pending test results has dropped by 1,145 in the past 24 hours to 3,135.
Meanwhile, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health is suggesting mandated isolation for people with COVID-19 and their contacts.
Dr. David Williams sent a letter Wednesday to the province’s local medical officers of health “strongly recommending” they use powers under the Health Protection and Promotion Act to require COVID-19 patients and their close contacts isolate themselves.
Toronto’s medical officer of health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, said the city will be issuing those orders to those people, as well as others suspected of having COVID-19.
In anticipation of a surge in patients, a hospital in Burlington, Ont., is building a temporary COVID-19 unit. Joseph Brant Hospital said the structure being built on hospital grounds will have 93 beds.
The hospital’s chief of staff, Dr. Ian Preyra, said the pandemic response unit will allow the hospital to keep its critical care and high acuity beds for the sickest patients.
The Ministry of Health is also allowing all public hospitals to lease or acquire temporary space in institutions or other buildings, such as hotels or retirement homes.
The ministry says hospitals could use those spaces to house COVID-19 or other patients.
Hayley Chazan, a spokeswoman for Health Minister Christine Elliott, says as Ontario works to contain the COVID-19 outbreak there is a critical need for hospitals to maximize their capacity.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2020.
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