All Ontario casinos to close temporarily amid COVID-19 outbreak

All Ontario casinos will close temporarily amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Ontario's Lottery & Gaming said on Sunday.

"This action is consistent with the recommendations of the province's Chief Medical Officer of Health related to new precautionary measures for COVID-19," the OLG said in a news release.

OLG said an "orderly shutdown" of all casinos across the provincehas begun.

"We expect the closure to be complete within approximately 24 hours," it said.

OLGsaid it will provide information on when the casinos will reopen but the timing depends on advice from public health authorities.

The crown agency added that the health and safety of its customers and employees is a priority for OLG.

The move comes afterTheo Lagakos, president of Local 533 of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, whichrepresentsworkers at Casino Woodbine in Toronto, called for its immediate closureon Saturday.

Lagakoshad questioned why the casino was still open when many other services in Toronto and across Ontario were being closed. He had noted that casino workers were not allowed to wear masks and also they had no mechanism to clean cards, chips and tables.

"None of us wish to be in a situation where a particular business takes a hit, however health and safety has to be a priority,"Lagakoshad said.

Ontario now hasover 100 COVID-19 cases

On Sunday,the Ontario government announced 43new confirmedcases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 146.

Five of thosepatients are no longer infectious, the province said on its website.

Among the newcases,14 people with the novel coronavirus are in Toronto, five are in Peel Region and three are in York Region. Another three are in Hamilton. All are self-isolating, except one personin the area of Simcoe-Muskokaand that personishospitalized.

Toronto has shutdown major city services amid thegrowing number of COVID-19 cases.

City officials have saidthe shutdown of services recommended byToronto's medical officer of health Dr. Eileende Villais necessary to help slow the rate of COVID-19 infection in the cityand protect vulnerable populations.