Ontario’s top doctor to provide COVID update Tuesday | Globalnews.ca

TORONTO — Ontario’s top doctor is expected to provide an additional update on COVID-19 in the province today.

Dr. Kieran Moore is holding a news conference at 3 p.m.

The briefing comes as more local public health units are imposing stricter health measures or issuing additional guidance to residents in light of the fast-spreading Omicron variant

Peterborough is the latest region to instruct workplaces to have all non-essential staff to work from home if possible, as part of new measures set to take effect on Wednesday.

The new rules also require restaurants to ensure tables are at least two metres apart or separated by a barrier, and to set a cap on the number of patrons at each table.

Meanwhile, Ottawa Public Health is warning of a backlog in its contact-tracing system due to a surge in Omicron cases, and urging residents who test positive for COVID-19 to immediately self-isolate and alert their close contacts themselves.

The province’s panel of expert advisers on COVID-19 estimated Monday that Omicron makes up 30 per cent of new daily infections, with cases doubling every three days.

Health officials in the Kingston, Waterloo and London areas have announced new measures in response to the spike in Omicron cases, while Toronto has said it will delay the return to in-person work for city employees.

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