Officials stress need to follow virus orders

Go home and stay home.

That was the message from political leaders and public health officials in a bid to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

The measures include closing Ontario’s schools beyond the initial three-week shutdown, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Monday.

All non-essential businesses in the province are also to close down, with more details to follow on Tuesday.

Three more COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Ottawa on Monday, bringing the city’s total as of 4:30 p.m. to 24 confirmed cases and 11 indeterminate cases. As of Monday evening, there were 489 positive cases in Ontario, with six deaths and eight cases resolved.

The new cases in Ottawa include a female under the age of 18 with a history of travel, a woman in her 50s with a history of close contact and a man in his 50s whose case is pending.

There are also three new cases in the Outaouais, bringing the total there to eight. Quebec is closing all non-essential businesses and services until April 13. Montreal police have declared a state of emergency within the force after two officers were infected and another 100 officers were placed in quarantine.

Statistics on official diagnoses should be viewed with caution.

Testing does not track all cases in a community because mild symptoms aren’t distinguishable from common colds, and because public health can’t test large numbers of people.

Dr. Vera Etches, Ottawa’s medical officer of health, said on Monday there may be up to 4,000 people in the community with undetected COVID-19.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, speaking from Rideau Cottage where he remains in self-isolation, urged Canadians to go home and stay home.

The government will step up a public information campaign to explain the risks of COVID-19 and how to stop the disease from spreading, he said,

“Listening is your duty and staying home is your way to serve.”

Trudeau said he is discussing enforcement options with premiers for people found to be disregarding public health recommendations.

Speaking in Toronto, Ford said only grocery stores, pharmacies, takeout and delivery restaurants, essential manufacturing industries and supply chain suppliers can remain open, as will the province’s liquor stores.

The closures will last for a 14-day period but the ban could extend beyond then.

“This is not the time for half measures,” Ford said. “This decision was not made lightly. And the gravity of this order does not escape me.”

Ontario residents will “have to police ourselves” when it comes to enforcing the closure of non-essential businesses, and “there will be consequences” for those that break the rules, Ford warned.

Meanwhile, some large Ottawa convention facilities, including the EY Centre, have offered their facilities to the city for use as emergency medical centres, if required.

The National Capital Commission announced it was closing Gatineau Park to protect employees and visitors.