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Samuel Engelking

Toronto officials to paint physical distancing circles in Trinity Bellwoods on Thursday; Ontario to take over management at five long-term care homes

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5:21 pm City to begin painting social distancing circles in Trinity Bellwoods on Thursday

Trinity Bellwoods Park will look a little different starting on Thursday. As promised, the city will begin a pilot program to enforce physical distancing requirements and prevent scenes overcrowding by painting so-called social distancing circles on the grass.

Cities such as San Francisco and Brooklyn have already tried the idea, which is intended to encourage people to keep two-metres (or six feet) distance to help curb COVID-19 spread.

City officials say there will be a strong enforcement presence in Trinity Bellwoods to greet park users, education them on physical distancing and take enforcement action if required. Enforcement will also be beefed up in waterfront parks this weekend.

The idea has also inspired the organizers of an upcoming digital art exhibition based on the work of Vincent van Gogh.


5:18 pm Toronto reports 152 new COVID-19 cases

As of May 26, there are 10,525 cases in Toronto, an increase of 152 since yesterday. Of the total cases, 7,814 cases have recovered, up by 187. In total, COVID-19 has killed 780 people in the city.


5:13 pm Interactive map shows COVID-19 hotspots in Toronto

The northeast and northwest corners of Toronto are the neighbourhoods hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, according to data released by the city.

On Wednesday, Toronto's Medical Officer of Health Eileen de Villa said Toronto Public Health has published interactive maps that break down the number of COVID-19 cases reported in the city by neighbourhood.

"Our data confirms that COVID-19 is present in every single neighbourhood in Toronto," de Villa said. "Based on the last two weeks of activity, our mapping indicates people living in the northwest and northeast parts of the city now have the highest number of positive cases."

De Villa cautioned the public to consider that where a person lives does not necessarily indicate where they picked up COVID-19. Torontonians are at risk of getting COVID-19 anywhere when they are in close contact of the respiratory droplets of someone with an infection. As such, neighbourhoods with less cases are not inherently safer, she added.

Read more here.

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3:45 pm Lake Shore East, River and Bayview to close for ActiveTO this weekend

The city's ActiveTO program will see Lake Shore East, River and Bayview close once again this weekend.

On Saturday and Sunday, Lake Shore East's eastbound lanes from Coxwell to just south of Woodbine (Kew Beach Avenue), Bayview from Mill to Rosedale Valley, and River from Gerrard East to Bayview will close from May 30 at 6 am to May 31 at 11 pm.

ActiveTO is a city initiative to curb COVID-19 spread while giving Torontonians room to exercise while practicing physical distancing.

The Gardiner Expressway will also shut down fully from Highway 427 to the Don Valley Parkway for annual maintenance and improvement. As a result, Lake Shore West will remain open to vehicle traffic this weekend.


1:53 pm Ontario takes control of five long-term care homes following damning military report

The province is taking control of five long-term care homes following a "horrific" Canadian Armed Forces report detailing alleged neglect in homes facing COVID-19 outbreaks.

Premier Doug Ford said he would move up a planned independent commission into the sector from September to July. The premier also said he would appear as a witness if called upon to do so. "One hundred per cent I'll be a witness," he said.

The military will also remain in five care homes until June 12.

Additionally, the province is moving to take over management of five homes:  Eatonville Care Centre in Etobicoke, Hawthorne Place Care Centre in North York, Altamont Care in Scarborough, Orchard Villa in Pickering and Camilla Care in Mississauga.

Other measures the province plans to implement immediately is sending 16 teams of two inspectors to each of the five homes in the report plus Camilla Care to undertake inspection and monitoring for two weeks. One inspector will stay in that home over that entire period, Ford said.

The inspectors will conduct in-depth interviews with staff and residents, review charts and records and report back. Ford also promised over 21  “extremely rigorous” inspections in 13 other homes facing outbreaks and added that eight have been completed already.

The Ministry of Long-Term Care will also conduct random spot-checks of other homes across the province.


11:55 pm Community spread a problem in "hotspots" Toronto and Montreal: Tam

Canada's top doctor Theresa Tam said that COVID-19 growth "continues to slow" across Canada but community spread remains a problem in "hotspots" like Toronto and Montreal.

"Nationally epidemic growth continues to slow but outbreaks remain in long term care, shelters, workplaces, etc," the country's chief public health officer tweeted. "Most worrying is community spread in & around hotspots, e.g. greater Toronto & Montreal areas."

She said the spread in urban centres poses a challenge for public health officials when it comes to testing and tracing.

To date, 1,500,481 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Canada. An overall average of 5 per cent of those tests came back positive. Tam said that over the last seven days, an average of 22,360 people have been tested daily across the country.

10:55 pm Ontario reports 292 new COVID-19 cases, 32 deaths 

Provincial public health officials have reported 292 new cases of COVID-19. The number is slightly up from yesterday, but suggests new infections are once again on a downward trend after five successive days of new cases over 400.

In total, Ontario now has 26,483 cases. The number of resolved cases is 20,372 and 32 more people have died. The provincial death toll is now 2,155. Of those deaths, 1,587 were residents of long-term care homes.

Testing numbers are more promising as well. There were 15,133 tests completed since yesterday and 11,817 cases are under investigation. Premier Doug Ford's government has been criticized in recent weeks after testing fell well below the daily target of 16,000 tests per day.

Ford has promised to unveil a "detailed testing strategy" this week and is now encouraging people who think they might have been exposed to COVID-19 but are asymptomatic to get tested.


8:45 am Ontario extends emergency orders until June 9

The province has extended emergency orders for at least another week until June 9.

The orders include the closure of outdoor playgrounds, play structures and equipment and public pools, and allowing bars and restaurants to open only takeout and delivery.

Social gatherings of more than five people who do not live in the same household continue to restricted. The orders also allow for the redeployment of staff in long-term care homes and congregate settings like shelters and retirement homes.

"We are extending these emergency orders to protect the health and safety of all individuals and families as we begin to gradually and safely reopen our province," Premier Doug Ford said in a statement. "To build on the progress we have made to contain COVID-19, people should continue to follow these simple public health guidelines, practise physical distancing, wear a mask when it is a challenge to physical distance, and wash their hands regularly. If you think you have COVID-19 or may have been exposed to the virus, go to an assessment centre and get tested."

The state of emergency that allows the government create and enforce emergency orders is set to expire on June 2.


8:45 am Canada has more than 86,000 cases of COVID-19

There are 86.647 cases of COVID-19 in Canada and 6,639 people have died.

The outbreak is a serious public health threat though most people who contract the virus have not been hospitalized. 

Symptoms include cough, fever, difficulty breathing and pneumonia in both lungs and may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure. People age 65 and over and people with compromised immune systems and/or underlying medical conditions have a higher risk of contracting a severe case.

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