Toronto to release 'individual-level' COVID-19 case data to show impact of virus on city

Toronto is planning to release "individual-level" data on COVID-19 cases in the city this week that will indicate age range, gender, hospitalization, date of illness and neighbourhood, the city's medical officer of health says.

Dr. Eileen de Villa told reporters at a city hall news conference on Monday afternoon that data to be released will not identify anyone who has the disease, but it will paint a broad picture of how COVID-19 has affected Toronto.

"This information, which will be published on the city's open data public platform, will help demonstrate how thisvirus has impacted our city," de Villa said.

Toronto Public Health (TPH) will update its COVID-19 case numberson Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays starting this week. The new reporting schedule will enable its data team to focus on general trends and patterns, information that will help the agency with itsstrategies to reduce the spread of the virus, she said.

The city will return to daily reporting if needed, she said.

According to the city's COVID-19 monitoring dashboard, key indicators appear stable, she added.The dashboard tracks virus spread and containment, lab testing trends, health system capacity and public health system capacity. Itassignsa red, yellow, or green colour to reflect the current status of eachcategory.

"We are still in the middle of a pandemic and it is to be expected that as the city opens up and more people interact in the community that we will see changes and fluctuations in our dashboard indicators," she said.

"The key is to monitor these indicators and to be quick to act when and if our indicators tell us that our situation is no longer improving."

Three out out offour dashboard indicators show a yellow status and one shows a green status.

"Our seven-day moving average for new cases and the number of new outbreaks showed small increases last week, which changed the overall virus spread and containment category to a yellow status on Friday," she said.

WATCH: Dr. Eileen de Villa on mandatory masks in Toronto

Dr. Eileen de Villa talks about mandatory masks

4 years ago

Duration 1:38

Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto's medical officer of health, reminds residents that face masks are mandatory in indoor public spaces in the city starting on Tuesday.

Masks mandatory in indoor public spaces Tuesday

De Villa reminded Toronto residents that face masks are mandatory in indoor public spaces starting on Tuesday.

City council voted last week to make masksmandatory in enclosed spaces, whichinclude convenience stores, malls, grocery stores, bakeries, businesses and offices open to the public. The bylaw does not apply to child-care centres, people eating on outdoor patios, children under two and anyone with a medical condition that makes it difficult to breathe while wearing a mask.

"When heading out of your home, I encourage you to make sure you have your mask with you," she added.

De Villa noted that residents are taking the bylaw seriously because there were more than 10,000 visits to the city's mask bylaw website last week.

Toronto has 67 new COVID-19 infections as of Sunday at 3 p.m., a number that bringsthe city's cumulative total to 14,678, de Villa reported on Monday.

A total of 1,105 people have died of COVID-19, while a total of 12,844 have recovered, an increase of 71 since Saturday. There are 160 people in hospital, with 40 in intensive care units and 34 on ventilators.

The city has had a cumulative total of 171 outbreaks in institutions, which include long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals.

Toronto reopensoutdoor sport and multi-use fields

Mayor John Tory, who also spoke at the news conference, says the city will reopen outdoor sport and multi-use fields by Tuesdaywith restrictions in place and limited capacity.

"Now, I know for many people, it will be disappointing that we're not getting back into allowing sports full swing, but just the steps we are taking is a step forward," Tory said.

"At the same time, these are steps necessary to stop the spread of COVID-19 and avoid the kind of resurgence that we are all trying to avoid."

The reopening will allow sports teams to train andresidents to take part inactivities such as outdoor fitness programs, summer camps and ceremonial events.

People will also be able toengage in commercial photographyandgather in small groups for such thingsas picnics. Torysaid the city would resume issuing permits to organizations this week for the remainder of the 2020 summer season.

"Both the types of activities and the number of people allowed on the field will be restricted to further contain the spread of COVID-19," the city said in a news release on Monday.

Ten peoplewill be allowed per field only to ensure there is physical distancing and compliancewith provincial restrictions on the size of social gatherings. The number includes participants and coaches, parents and guardians, and itmeans no additional spectators, Tory said.

The city is not allowing games or scrimmages, not even in the course of training, Tory said.

"Activities that are likely to result in individuals coming within two metres of each other must not be practised or played on the field," the city said in the release.

Pavilions, clubhouses, change areas and lockers will not be open for use under provincial orders. People are being told to use individual equipment whenever possible.

Permit holders, if they do provide equipment, should ensure it is cleaned between uses, according to the city. Permit holdersare also required to keep attendance records in case TPH has to trace contactsdue toan infection.

Mayor joins other municipal leaders in calling for funds

On Monday morning, Tory said he met with mayors and chairs across Ontarioto discuss their respective financial situations. Cities needfinancial help from the provincialand federal governmentsas soon as possible, he said.

"Now, more than halfway through our financial year, we do not have any more time to waste," Tory told reporters.

The mayor said Toronto'sincome, in particular, has been significantlyreduced, in large part to the loss of TTCrevenue, and the cityhas "very limited ways"of making up the shortfall. Costs have increased because the city has had to look after people experiencing homelessness, among other responsibilities, he said.

Without financial help, there could be service cuts, he added.

Tory said the city is facing roughly a $2 billion operating budget deficitthis year due to the pandemic and he suggested thatthe Ontario and federal governments couldset a deadline for themselves this week to reach an agreement on how they will help municipalities in the province.

A Canada-Ontario agreement would go a long way to help until a pan-Canadian agreement can be reached, he said.