Ontario officials announced Monday a weeks stoppage across Canada’s most populous province since Boxing Day, when the country is hit by COVID-19 cases.
Driving the news: Non-essential businesses, including gyms, beauty salons and in-house restaurants, have been closed in the worst-affected areas of Toronto and Peel Regional Municipality for nearly a month. Mas Ontario Premier Doug Ford said a briefing “COVID is spreading rapidly from areas of high outbreak to areas with fewer cases.”
- From 12:01 am on December 26, communities in densely populated southern Ontario will be closed for a month, including Toronto and Ottawa. Communities in the north will be closed for two weeks, officials said.
Of importance: Québec, Canada’s second most populous province, plans to close most retailers from December 25 to January 11. Local authorities have limited social gatherings, from December 17 to January 10.
By the numbers: Ontario reported 2,123 new coronavirus infections on Monday, marking the seventh consecutive day of case numbers in excess of 2,000, compared to daily single-digit numbers in late summer.
- Canada recorded an average of 177.8 additional cases per day last week, according to Johns Hopkins data compiled by the National Bank of Canada.
- Canadian authorities have confirmed 14,332 COVID-19 deaths and 515,314 cases since the start of the pandemic, according to the Canadian Public Health Agency.
For registration: The country has started a nationwide mass launch of the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Canada has secured more vaccine contracts than any other country and is in talks with other governments to donate excess doses to low-income nations.