Toronto Public Health confirms first three cases of Omicron variant in city
Toronto Public Health confirms first three cases of Omicron variant in city
TORONTO, Sept. 18, 2018 /CNW/ – While public concerns surrounding Zika and other mosquitoes-transmitted viruses have prompted local agencies to take action, the Toronto Public Health (CPH) is seeing a spike in people using our city’s public pools across the board.
Toronto has seen a five-fold increase in the number of people using our pool facilities in the last year, including a six month surge in August alone.
The reasons for this include:
– Increases in the use of public pools.
– Decreased awareness on the risks of the Zika virus.
– Increased fear of pools.
– People are worried about the Zika virus’s ability to spread in a public swimming environment.
“We are seeing a spike in people that use our pools and it’s important that we are aware of this so we can respond to it appropriately,” said John Lofaro, Director of Environmental Health, Public Health and Safety.
“Our pools also play a vital role in Toronto’s growing outdoor recreation scene and we hope to provide safe, enjoyable and comfortable facilities for everyone this summer.”
Toronto Public Health encourages members of the population to always cover their private or shared pools in order to prevent mosquito-borne illnesses, such as Zika and chikungunya.
The first case of the Omicron variant was reported in Toronto on April 15th, 2018. By the time our first case was confirmed, there had been two other Omicron cases in the city.
Toronto Public Health is now in the process of completing public health investigation and follow-up action. As part of this process, all pools in Toronto are under observation.
“Public health workers are monitoring the situation now and may be asked to visit any pools where concerns are being voiced,” Lofaro said.
“In the meantime, we recommend that everyone simply cover their pools in order to protect themselves from mosquito-borne illnesses.”
Please note that it is not required to cover an open swimming pool when there is no water in the pool as long as it is covered when there
