Ontario announces province-wide private gathering restrictions

The Ontario Government announced today that private gatherings around the province are being restricted to 10 indoors and 25 outdoors as COVID-19 cases continue to climb.

Premier Doug Ford said these restrictions will go into effect immediately for the next 28 days. This will not apply to “staffed businesses” including restaurants, banquet halls, gyms and places of worship.

These restrictions were initially put in place for Toronto, Peel Region, and Ottawa last week as their cases were increasing significantly compared to the rest of the province. However, COVID-19 cases, Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Barbara Yaffe says that the new restrictions are precautionary as other regions are also seeing their numbers grow.

Meanwhile, Ontario reported 407 new cases of COVID-19 today, including one more death. “Over the past several days, we’ve seen alarming growth in the number of COVID cases in Ontario. Three weeks ago,we were around 80 cases, a week ago we were around 200 cases, now we are over 400 cases and climbing. Folks, the alarm bells are ringing,” Ford said.

Organizers of illegal social gatherings will face a $10,000 fine and anyone who attends will be handed a $750 ticket.

39,000 tests were completed yesterday, a new provincial record. 71% of today’s cases are in people under the age of 40.