Ontario's associate chief medical officer of health Dr. Barbara Yaffe said Thursday afternoon she wished she had better news.
Yaffe was joined at a media briefing by Dr. Dirk Huyer, Ontario's coordinator of the provincial COVID-19 outbreak response.
"Unfortunately our situation is dire. And the numbers I am about to report will reflect that," said Yaffe.
She told the briefing that since her last briefing on April 8, more than 29,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Ontario alone. She said it brings the seven-day average to more than 4,200 cases a day.
"This is a 36 per cent increase over last week's seven-day average," she said.
Yaffe said today's case count of 4,736 was the highest ever recorded in Ontario. While some people don't put much stock in case counts, Yaffe reported another grim number.
"Very sadly we are reporting another 145 deaths since last week's update," she said. "Hospitalizations and ICU (Intensive Care Unit) occupancy are at the highest levels since the start of the pandemic," she added.
Earlier on Thursday, there was an indication that Ontario might consider some tough new restrictions. Yaffe acknowledged that, but gave nothing specific.
Yaffe added that there is also an increase in the Variants of Concern, new strains of the coronavirus, showing up among testing.
"I really wish I had better news to give you today. These data are alarming and should be of tremendous concern for everyone," said Yaffe.
She added that Ontario's health leaders expect the dire numbers will stay high for a while with increases in hospital admissions and ICU occupancies.
"While we have a stay-at-home order and stronger public health measures in place, it will take some time before we see the effect of these interventions," said Yaffe.
"But we do know that those measures work. We know that by reducing mobility, by staying home as much as possible and by limiting social interaction to those within your household, our rates of transmission will begin to go down and people's lives will be saved," she added.
In anticipation of new changes on the way, one Toronto reporter asked whether newer pandemic restrictions will do any good since it appears that all the restrictions so far have not worked.
Yaffe replied that if a new restriction was introduced today, the full impact of any change would not be seen for two to three weeks. She said the infection incubation period takes 14 days and then follow up testing would add extra days. Yaffe's answer also indicated that new restrictions could be on the way.
"In terms of what more could be done, I know we are working very hard with the Science Table, Public Health Ontario and others on other potential measures," Yaffe told the briefing.
Later in the afternoon briefing, Yaffe remarked that Ontario's health leaders are considering all options. She said health leaders were taking advice from the science table and other experts on "what potential effective measures that have not been taken yet with changes that perhaps could be of benefit and looking at what other jurisdictions have done."
Yaffe added that "a variety of options are being considered" but the specifics could not be identified.
"Once decisions are made they will come in," said Yaffe.
When asked about what actions are driving the pandemic, reporters were told that in Ontario the compliance issue is not a big factor. People who refuse to wear masks or ignore basic precautions were a very small minority, Yaffe said.
She said the numbers so that close contact with people we know seems to be the biggest factor.
She said people in our own households who might have a quick interaction with somebody outside the home and then bring the virus back home are the main culprits.
