Ontario Making it Easier for Public to Stay Informed about COVID-19

Dedicated Website Will Now Include Twice Daily Updates on New Cases

News.ontario.ca
March 10, 2020

As COVID-19 evolves, Ontario is taking further steps to inform the public on the status of the virus across the province.

Ontario has been monitoring and reporting on the development of COVID-19 since initial cases of a viral pneumonia were reported in China in late December 2019. Every weekday at 10:30 a.m. Ontario has been updating its dedicated web page with the most up-to-date information on the status of cases in Ontario, including: the number of cases currently under investigation; and the number of confirmed positive, negative and resolved cases.

To enhance these efforts, the web page will now be updated twice a day (10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. EST), seven days a week. The web page will also now include general information on each new confirmed case of COVID-19, including gender, age, public health unit, hospital (if applicable), where acquired and status. The information provided will reflect what has been confirmed by local public health authorities at that time. This information will be provided in lieu of the news releases the province has been issuing and will be supplemented by additional details provided by individual public health units.

"The health and well-being of the people of Ontario is our top priority," said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. "Although the risk remains low, we are enhancing our reporting protocols as we continue to take decisive steps to protect the public. Ontarians can be fully confident that we are providing the information they need in order to protect themselves and their families."

Currently, the virus is not circulating locally. However, given the global circumstances, last week Ontario implemented an enhanced response structure to formally bring together experts across the health sector to provide clinical expertise and experience to implement provincial and regional plans. This will ensure the province is ready to contain and respond to a COVID-19 outbreak.

In addition to the daily updates to the website, Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health, will continue to provide updates on COVID-19 at the regularly scheduled media briefings every Monday and Thursday at 3 p.m. at the Queen's Park media studio.

Quick Facts

• Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more serious respiratory infections like bronchitis, pneumonia or severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
• There is no vaccine available to protect against COVID-19, but there are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses. To find out more visit Ontario's website.