Ontario’s health minister believes the latest wave of COVID-19 may have peaked in the province.
Christine Elliott pointed to the latest wastewater surveillance suggesting a smaller viral load. She and Premier Doug Ford expect to get a more fulsome analysis from Chief Medical Officer of Health Doctor Kieran Moore.
Sampling began to show an increase starting the week of March 9 and may have peaked last week when the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table suggested there could be between 90,000 and 110,000 new cases a day.
Even if this wave of the virus has peaked, its impact on hospitals still might not be felt for another week or two.
Earlier this week, Moore indicated the province could see as many as 600 intensive care admissions, but that did not faze Ford during a news conference in Scarborough.
“If we need to max it right out, we could go as high as 3,000 if we had to,” he said. “But we aren’t in that position right now. We’re actually seeing positive results with the wastewater. Let’s just hope it goes down, and be very, very cautious.”
Elliott acknowledged that the case numbers are not likely to go down immediately.
“However, with the increase in the number of beds, we are sure that we will be able to handle any increases,” she reassured reporters.
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While Ford appears unwilling to bring back a province-wide masking mandate or require them in classrooms, he supports extending masking in hospitals, public transit, and other high-risk settings beyond April 27, if that is recommended by Dr. Moore.
“I wouldn’t have any problem, at all, with that,” he replied.
He did urge residents to be cautious this Easter.
“If you’re having 15 people over, put your mask on,” he said. “We’ve been through this for two years now. Its common sense prevails. Right? Put a mask on. It doesn’t hurt.”