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Ontario to release COVID-19 modelling; Ford says numbers will be hard to hear

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TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the province will release data Friday showing how many Ontarians could die from COVID-19 in various scenarios.

Ford had resisted calls to release that modelling as recently as Wednesday, saying there were many different scenarios, but he now says medical experts will provide a public briefing Friday.

He says Ontario's chief medical officer of health needed time to compile figures that take into account the large influx of people, including snowbirds, returning to Canada and develop an accurate model.

Ford says the figures released will be stark, and may be "a real wake-up call" for people.

Nationally, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he isn't able to share a national picture yet, but will be able to soon.

Ontario is reporting 401 more COVID-19 cases today, including 16 more deaths.

A Bobcaygeon nursing home is also reporting two more deaths of residents in a COVID-19 outbreak there, bringing the total to 16.

The local health unit believes the outbreak at Pinecrest Nursing Home is the largest in the province, with at least 24 staff members also infected.

Provincewide, there are now 2,793 cases of COVID-19, including 53 deaths and 831 resolved.

Ford also announced Thursday an investment of $12 million to expand online and virtual mental health supports.

Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey announced $2.7 million on Thursday for community agencies to support victims of domestic violence and other violent crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The province is also investing $1.3 million in technology to help courts and tribunals operate remotely.

Ontario reports that 405 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, including 167 in intensive care, and 112 of those patients are on ventilators.

Meanwhile, Ontario's backlog of pending test results continues to drop as more testing capacity is added — from 3,135 Wednesday to 2,052 Thursday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 2, 2020.

The Canadian Press


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