31 new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Mississauga Sunday

Peel Public Health confirmed 31 new cases of COVID-19 in Mississauga Sunday for a total of 279 in the city. The spike in new cases represents a 12.5 percent increase from Saturday’s total of 248 cases. With 37 new COVID-19 cases reported in Peel, the regional total is now 485.

On Sunday, 408 new cases of the novel coronavirus were confirmed by the Ontario Ministry of Health, a rise from the 375 new cases reported the previous day. There are now 4,038 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the province. The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Ontario has increased to 523, with 200 people currently in the ICU, 154 of whom require the help of a ventilator.

On Sunday, Peel Public Health confirmed 31 new COVID-19 cases in Mississauga, bringing the city’s total number of cases to 279.

The City of Mississauga announced the layoffs of 2,000 part-time employees in non-essential services Friday, which come into effect April 17. “This is a very difficult decision and certainly not one that was taken lightly,” Mayor Bonnie Crombie said in a Friday statement. “The City is facing significant financial pressures as a result of this pandemic and we are taking action to respond to the facility closures and their impact on our operations." Provincially-mandated closures to stop the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in the shutdowns of Mississauga's libraries, community centres and playgrounds, amongst other public indoor and outdoor facilities. After Queen's Park announced sweeping measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, librarians and other workers have been unable to go into work. 

On Friday, the Region of Peel confirmed two more deaths from COVID-19, including two men in their 70s, one from Brampton and another from Mississauga, who were both treated by healthcare professionals in hospitals operated by Trillium Health Partners (THP) in Mississauga. Thus far, there have been four deaths in Peel. THP operates Credit Valley Hospital and Mississauga Hospital in the city. According to THP's website, as of Saturday at 12 p.m., 331 patients have received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, with 49 currently being cared for in its hospitals.

On Sunday, 37 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Peel, bringing the regional total to 485.

Residents of Mississauga and the Region of Peel are experiencing economic and health impacts from COVID-19. Now, Ontario has moved to protect vulnerable people, investing $40 million in organizations that provide services to children and youth, people with developmental disabilities and emergency shelters for women and families fleeing domestic violence. The province's COVID-19 Residential Relief Fund will cover the costs of additional staffing, respite for caregivers, personal protective equipment and initiatives to support physical and social distancing, according to a news release on the Government of Ontario’s website shared Saturday.

Ontario has also launched a new online portal to connect workers with employers seeking to fill positions in the agri-food sector. Hundreds of thousands of people working in the province's agriculture and food industry keep the supply chain moving, ensuring the shelves of grocery stores are stocked and people have food on their tables.

"Right now, there are important jobs that need to be filled across the food supply chain and we are looking for individuals who embody the Ontario spirit to step up and provide an essential service," said Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, in a Saturday news release. "From farm to fork, it's these dedicated heroes in the agri-food sector who are working through this difficult period each and every day to keep food on our kitchen tables."

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