Ontario reports 809 new cases of COVID-19 as hot spots’ rules tighten

Ontario reported 809 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday and seven new deaths related to the virus, as new restrictions kick in to slow its spread in several hot spots.

Public health officials say 358 of the new cases were in Toronto, 123 were in Peel Region and 94 in Ottawa.

Tighter restrictions to curb the surge of infections in those regions took effect on Saturday after Ontario saw a record-high of 939 new cases on Friday.

Those areas have consistently reported the majority of new cases in recent weeks.

The government says it has a backlog of 56,138 tests, and has conducted 44,298 tests since the last daily report.

Meanwhile, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, says the spread of COVID-19 is shifting toward seniors, adding to the mounting signs suggesting a second wave could hit just as hard as the first.

In a statement Saturday, Tam said that while the summer saw cases concentrated in the 20 to 39 age range, infection rates are now accelerating in older populations.

Reports of outbreaks in longterm-care centres and retirement homes have been rising in recent weeks, but seem to be more contained than the eruption of cases that overwhelmed several facilities in April and May, said Tam.

It’s a troubling trend given the heightened health risks the virus poses to older Canadians, said Tam, warning that we’ve already seen how spread in care homes can have deadly consequences.

“We all have a shared responsibility to help protect those at highest risk,” Tam said in a statement.

“When spread of COVID-19 is kept to low levels in the community this decreases the risk of exposure for older Canadians.”

Quebec reported another 1,097 new cases of COVID-19 and 14 additional deaths linked to the virus.

As of Saturday night, nearly all the regions along the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City were subjected to new restrictions as they move to the highest COVID-19 alert level.

Bars, restaurant dining rooms and gyms in so-called “red zones” must be closed, sports are limited and private citizens are not allowed to gather in private homes with anyone outside their household, with few exceptions.