Stage 3 reopening continues

There are no plans to pull any regions back a step in the province’s economic reopening process.

That from Premier Doug Ford after new outbreaks in some areas that have moved into Stage 3.

Two cities in Stage 3, Ottawa and Sudbury, have reported new cases in recent days.

Public Health Sudbury reported eight new cases of COVID-19 on Monday with seven of them involving people ages 19 or younger.

It’s been just over three weeks since the last time new cases were reported in North Bay Parry Sound District.

The Ontario government is expected to announce today whether the only regions still in Stage 2 of the province’s COVID-19 recovery plan can move on to the next phase.

Premier Ford has pledged to lay out when and how Toronto, Peel Region and Windsor-Essex will be allowed to join the rest of the province in Stage 3.

The three areas were held back because officials said they wanted more data before giving the green light for a broader reopening.

Two dozen of Ontario’s 34 public health units, including the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit were allowed to enter Stage 3 on July 17.

Another seven joined them on July 24.

(With files from The Canadian Press)
(File photo courtesy citynews.ca)