TORONTO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th May, 2021) The Canadian province of Ontario is extending the province-wide stay-at-home order until June 2, at the earliest, Premier Doug Ford announced on Thursday.
"We need to maintain the stay-at-home order and all public health measures until, at least, June 2," Ford said during a press briefing.
While Ontario's public health officials have seen declining numbers of new COVID-19 infections since the stay-at-home order was introduced more than a month ago, provincial hospitals remain at capacity and resources are stretched to the limit.
Extended public health measures will allow the province's vaccine rollout to make additional headway, Ford noted.
Ontario's public health authorities are recording an average of 2,500 new cases daily since the introduction of a third province-wide lockdown since the onset of the pandemic. Experts estimate that variants - particularly the B.1.1.7 one first identified in the United Kingdom - now make up the vast majority of all new cases.
To date, Ontario has reported 502,171 cases and 8,405 virus-related deaths since the onset of the pandemic a year ago.
