Toronto Public Health has linked the positive COVID-19 cases of four U of T community members to what U of T News has described as an “informal, close-contact athletic activity” at UTSG.
The activity took place on November 8 from 12:00–6:00 pm on U of T’s back campus field by Tower Road and Hoskins Avenue. Current information indicates that none of the participants were attending in-person courses.
The university and Toronto Public Health are working together to conduct contact tracing to identify those who may have been exposed, and those who have already been identified are currently in self-isolation. The field where the athletic activity took place has been closed for the time being.
According to Toronto Public Health, the activity posed low risk for the community or those who may have been in the vicinity. Generally, outdoor activities pose a lower risk for transmission.
According to data from U of T’s COVID-19 dashboard, which tracks the number of cases reported on campus, there have been 11 cases reported in the U of T community from October 31 to November 13, with one outbreak on campus from November 12–15.
These cases come as the province of Ontario is experiencing a surge of cases, with 1,249 new cases reported in the province on November 17. Ontario introduced new restrictions that went into effect on October 10, closing indoor restaurants and limiting the number of people permitted to gather.
