As we continue to see coronavirus numbers spike in Ontario, the latest projection from a group of scientists and doctors in Toronto suggest the province will see its second wave peak in mid to late October.
If stricter public health measures aren’t put in place, this province could exceed 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 per day.
New daily cases almost touching 500 again in the province, but that number could double by the middle of October unless we crack down now, according to the COVID-19 Modelling Collaborative, a joint effort of experts from the University of Toronto, University Health Network and Sunnybrook Hospital.
Toronto Infectious Disease Expert Dr. Isaac Bogoch told the CBC that they knew there was going to be a rise in cases as we entered the fall and winter, but was surprised by how fast those cases went up, and how soon.
Bogoch said now that Canada knows how COVID-19 is transmitted, and where it’s transmitted, policy makers can be proactive to prevent transmission.
Researchers say the best case scenario would mimic the province’s first wave, when numbers increased exponentially, but were flattened by a lockdown. Worst case would see people filling hospitals and intensive care units beyond capacity, similar to the first wave that hit Italy when the pandemic started.
The province recently tightened rules on bars and restaurants, and some restaurants shut down in Toronto for breaking the rules.
Strip clubs have also been shut down, but as of 10 o’clock Monday morning, casinos are allowed to reopen across Ontario for the first time in six months, despite the rising case numbers.
