As Canada’s most populous province moves forward with its reopening plans, concerns are growing that coronavirus cases in Ontario are not yet under control, writes Leyland Cecco in Toronto.
For a brief period in May, new cases showed a steady decrease, leading to optimism that an easing of the province’s lockdown was on the horizon – and justified.
In response, Ontario has given the green light to having given the green light to retailers, golf courses and pet groomers to resume operations. Lawmakers in the governing Progressive Conservative party have also pushed for restaurant and bar patios to reopen, with modifications.
But in recent days, the province’s infection numbers have trended upwards, averaging more than 400 new cases per day this week – a figure the province’s chief medial officer called “disappointing”.
The province had also aimed for 20,000 tests per day. But this past week, an average of less than 10,000 were conducted daily – including only 5,813 on Monday.
“I will be like an 800-pound gorilla on their backs every single day if I have to until I see these numbers go up,” said the Ontario premier, Doug Ford.
At the same time, there is growing concern among health experts that the province is unable to account for the source of nearly two-thirds of infections, leading to concern that the reopening of the province is premature.
Ontario’s ministry of health said determining the source of infection was “ongoing work”, citing incomplete information from local health authorities.
“As we try to get our economy back on its feet, we are very, very likely to experience surges in disease,” Dr David Fisman, an infectious diseases expert, told CBC News. “Covid’s proven itself to be a very slippery foe and you can’t fight an enemy that you can’t see.”
There are 24,187 comfirmed coronavirus cases in the province and almost 2,000 deaths.