Large wedding in Vaughan sparks at least 44 COVID-19 infections

Five York Region residents and 39 in Peel, Toronto, Halton, Wellington, Waterloo and Simcoe Muskoka test positive for coronavirus

Toronto.com
October 30, 2020
Kim Zarzour

At least 44 people connected to a large two-day wedding event in Vaughan have tested positive for COVID-19.

York Region Public Health was notified of the confirmed cases Oct. 26.

Anyone who attended the wedding held at Avani Event Centre, 8400 Jane St., Concord on Oct. 14 and Oct. 18 is considered at high risk of exposure.

So far, five York Region residents have been confirmed with COVID-19. An additional 31 cases are confirmed and probable through Peel Region Public Health, three cases through Halton Region Public Health, two cases through Wellington Dufferin Guelph Health Unit, one case through Simcoe Muskoka District, one case through Waterloo Region and one case through Toronto Public Health.

If you attended these wedding-related events, you are advised to self-isolate for 14 days until Nov. 2, and to monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.

If any symptoms of COVID-19 develop, seek assessment and testing at a COVID-19 assessment centre and continue to isolate while waiting for your results.

If you test negative, you still need to isolate until Nov. 2.

Health units with confirmed cases are conducting case and contact management activities associated with this large wedding.

York Region continues to work with the family to notify attendees about the potential exposures.

Public health has conducted an inspection of Avani Event Centre and is assessing the next steps.

Banquet facilities were still open under certain restrictions as part of Stage 3 reopening when the events took place.

This is the second large cluster of cases linked to a wedding in York Region and it serves as a reminder of the importance of physical distancing with anyone outside of your immediate household and wearing masks or face coverings in indoor public spaces, public health said.

The provincial government moved York Region into modified Stage 2 restrictions on Oct. 19.

This includes the limit of private events or social gatherings to 10 people or less indoors and 25 people or less outdoor, including social gatherings associated with a wedding such as a wedding reception.

These limits cannot be combined.

For religious services, rites or ceremonies, the indoor limit is 30 per cent capacity or less of any given room in the building.

In any setting, physical distancing must be maintained for individuals outside of your immediate household.

For information about the restrictions and the current gathering limits for public gatherings and ways to protect yourself, visit our website at york.ca/covid19