Ontario’s top doctor set to give COVID-19 update as Omicron strains health resources

TORONTO — Ontario’s top doctor is set to give an update Tuesday (Dec. 21) on COVID-19 in the province, as the Omicron variant puts increasing pressure on health systems.

Dr. Kieran Moore is expected to hold his weekly briefing on the state of the pandemic at 3 p.m.

The update comes as officials in some regions report health centres can’t keep up with the surge in demand for tests.

Ottawa Public Health has asked residents who have symptoms but can’t access a timely test to assume they are infected and self-isolate.

A similar strain on testing resources was reported in Kingston last week, and other health units have said they are bracing for the same problems.

Meanwhile, the Unity Health hospital network in Toronto says it has made the “difficult decision” to pause non-essential ambulatory care and surgical procedures, with the exception of urgent cases.

“Right now we need to focus all of our efforts, our people and resources on caring for our patients and assuring that we have the capacity to meet the demands of the pandemic,” Tim Rutledge, the network’s president and CEO, said in a statement.

The Canadian Press