Ontario announces modified Stage 2 restrictions for hotspots

TORONTO (680 NEWS) — As COVID-19 cases continue to rapidly rise across the province, the Ontario government is introducing targeted public health measures in hotspots such as Toronto, Peel Region and Ottawa.

The government says the modified Stage 2 restrictions will be enforced for a minimum of 28 days and reviewed afterwards. Additionally, the government says it will be reducing limits for all social gatherings and organized public events to a max of 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors. These limits cannot be combined for both events.

Ontario reported 939 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, a daily record.

The new measures will be effective as of Saturday, Oct. 10, just after midnight.

What will close:

• indoor gyms and fitness centres (yoga studios, dance studios);
• casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments;
• cinemas;
• performing arts centres and venues;
• spectator areas in racing venues;
• interactive exhibits or exhibits with high risk of personal contact in museums,
  galleries, zoos, science centres, landmarks, etc.
• prohibiting personal care services where face coverings must be removed for the service.

There will also be added restrictions and prohibitions when it comes to indoor dining at restaurants, bars and other establishments, including nightclubs.

“There were recent studies of transmission in restaurants, so we’re going to ask that while patios stay open, there will be no indoor dining in these regions for the next 28 days,” Williams said.

Schools, places of worship remain open

Food courts in malls will also be closed in these sweeping modifications. But schools and places of worship will remain open.

Tour and guide services will also be restricted to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors, real estate open houses are being trimmed to 10 people indoors, and in-person teaching and instruction are being reduced to 10 people indoors and 25 with exemptions for schools, child care centres, universities, colleges of applied arts and technology, private career colleges, and the Ontario Police
College.

Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams is urging Ontarians to limit trips outside of home, except for essential visits, and to maintain physical distancing measures.

Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott says 336 of the new cases are in Toronto, 150 in Peel Region and 126 in Ottawa.

The province is also reporting five new deaths due to the virus today.

In total, 225 people are hospitalized in Ontario due to COVID-19, up from 192 reported yesterday.

More than 1,000 new cases in Quebec

Meanwhile, Quebec’s health authorities reporting 1,102 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, bringing the total number of cases in the province up to 84,094.

This is the seventh time in eight days there have been more than 1,000 new cases reported in the province.

The Health Department reported a total of 22 additional COVID-19 deaths, four that occurred within the past 24 hours and 18 from earlier.

One death previously attributed to COVID-19 was found to have resulted from other causes, bringing the death toll in Quebec to 5,936.

There are now 433 people in hospital, an increase of eight from the day before, and 67 people in intensive care, one less than the day before.

As of Wednesday, the most recent day for which data is available, active cases of COVID-19 had been reported at 774 public and private school, with 1,451 students and 318 staff members currently affected. More than 1,000 classes have now been closed.

Much of southern Quebec is now at the province’s highest COVID-19 alert level, with new restrictions set to take effect in several regions between Montreal and Quebec City Saturday at midnight.