Woodbine Racetrack confirms 15 COVID cases in stabling area

Fifteen people working in the stabling area of the Woodbine Racetrack have tested positive for COVID-19, a spokesperson confirmed Saturday evening. Woodbine Entertainment found the cases were the result of gatherings away from Woodbine property through “timely and thorough contact tracing” by its COVID-19 health and safety committee, according to the director of communications, Jamie Dykstra.

“Therefore we have no on-site transmission of the virus,” Dykstra said. “All of the individuals are isolating and doing well.”

The news comes as a poll finds

Ontarians strongly favour paid sick days, and after Doug Ford’s government introduced new restrictions that limited outdoor activity and increased policing power. However, some restrictions have been amended amid backlash.

Dykstra said Woodbine Racetrack, located in a COVID-19 hot spot in north Etobicoke, holds a vast majority of its activity outdoors and in open-air barns.

He added that after the facility received medical advice “and anticipated a concerning potential situation weeks ago,” it “immediately requested” a pop-up vaccination clinic on the property.

While it awaits a response, Dykstra said the team is hoping for senior government officials to make the clinic a reality.

“As recently as a week ago, we were given assurances that this would occur, yet vaccine shortages have not permitted the clinic to proceed,” he said. “We are still working with senior government officials to make this happen.

“Overall, the situation is under control.”

The racetrack has increased security presence to enforce prevention measures, enhanced screening protocols for workers on entry, and has been educating the community on vaccinations, he added.

Woodbine Racetrack has approximately 750 essential front-line workers who manage 39 barns and 1,200 horses who require daily care.

Ontario is reporting another 4,362 COVID-19 cases and 34 more deaths, according to its latest report released Saturday morning.

There are 2,065 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in the province, including 726 patients in intensive care. There are 501 people on ventilators.

Ontario has administered 107,278 vaccine doses since its last daily update, with 3,751,316 vaccines given in total as of 8 p.m. the previous night. The province says 344,244 people have completed their vaccinations, which means they’ve had both doses.

Locally, Health Minister Christine Elliott says there are 1,162 new cases in Toronto, 936 in Peel, 430 in York Region, 301 in Durham and 251 in Ottawa.

Ontario is reporting one more long-term-care home in outbreak for a total of 39, or 6.2 per cent of LTC homes in the province.

There were no new deaths in long-term care.