Toronto marks "grim milestone" as COVID-19 deaths surpass 2,000

The City of Toronto marked a “grim milestone” as over 2,000 COVID-19 deaths were recorded on Thursday.

There are officially 2,071 deaths reported.

“We mourn all the innocent lives lost to COVID-19 with their families, friends, colleagues, and neighbours. This grim milestone of more than 2,000 deaths in our city over the last year should remind us all that this is a deadly virus, and we must take precautions to protect ourselves and our families and continue to follow the public health advice,” said Tory.

“It also renews our determination as a city to work with the provincial and federal governments on the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines so that we can get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible to save lives and help bring this pandemic to an end. The best way we can honour the memory of those lost and pay tribute to those continuing to work on the frontlines of healthcare to protect us is to keep staying home as much as possible right now, wearing a mask when we go out, and avoiding gathering with people we don’t live with.”

As of today, 43 long-term care homes, including five City-run homes, have begun to receive the COVID-19 vaccine since December 31. There are 87 long-term care homes in Toronto, with the City directly operating 10 of those homes.

On Thursday, 941 new COVID-19 cases were reported bringing the total to 66,417, from which 57,093 people have recovered. There are 392 people hospitalized.

“Today, we reached a tragic milestone with 2,017 lives lost to COVID-19 in Toronto. These losses in our community aren’t just numbers. They represent people who were cared for and loved. Each of these deaths represents a unique life, and someone’s family, friend or colleague,” said Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, in a statement.

“Please keep staying home as much as possible, and do everything you can to protect your health, the health of those around you, and save lives at this critical time. On behalf of everyone at Toronto Public Health, we offer our sincerest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to COVID-19.”

To reduce and eliminate the transmission of COVID-19, protect the healthcare system and save lives, Toronto Public Health continues to strongly encourage everyone to only leave their home for essential reasons and observe the prohibition against indoor gatherings.

Toronto has been in a lockdown since November 23, with it being extended until at least January 23.

On June 18, 2020, 1,000 deaths were reported in the city.