York Region added to Ontario COVID-19 hotspots

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Friday afternoon, Oct. 16, that given an alarming increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, York Region, home to more than a million residents, would be rolled back to a “modified” Phase 2 status, forcing some businesses to close.

He said the region would remain in the partial lockdown for 28 days.

“I hate doing this, honestly, I hate doing this,” he said, bu the had no choice.

Critical care admissions to hospitals were on the rise, and he wanted to protect long-term care homes, hospitals and schools.

York, which covers a large area from the north side of Toronto to the south end of Lake Simcoe, joins Toronto, Peel and Ottawa in partial lockdown status.