City of Toronto announced that it has activated Emergency Operations Centre to manage COVID-19 pandemic. The city said that currently, the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is at a Level One activation. This involves monitoring the current situation, locally and globally, and coordinating internal efforts at the City.
According to the news release, City of Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Eileen de Villa will public health efforts to mitigate the virus’s impact on the city and Toronto Fire Chief Matthew Pegg will lead the City of Toronto’s operational planning and response.
The city said that the COVID-19 task force, now situated at the EOC, comprises key managers from all City divisions and agencies. The task force will be resposible for managing staff absenteeism due to illness and the impact on the City’s ability to deliver core services due to potential for increased staff absenteeism due to coronavirus, global supply chain challenges for personal protective equipment, like masks and gloves for frontline workers and first responders. actions undertaken to protect vulnerable populations, such as those experiencing homelessness or in City-run long-term care homes, developing, sharing and continually updating critical information for residents and visitors to the city, forecasting and responding to economic impacts the pandemic may have on residents and businesses.
As of yesterday night, there are 37 active coronavirus cases and 5 resolved (the patient no longer infectious based on two consecutive negative tests performed at PHO Laboratory at least 24 hours apart) cases in Ontario.
Yesterday, a Hamilton physician tested positive and first cases were reported in Sudbury and Ottawa.