Second coronavirus-related death connected to Toronto’s shelter system reported
Posted May 13, 2020 4:49 pm.
Last Updated May 13, 2020 5:00 pm.
A second coronavirus-related death connected to Toronto’s shelter system was confirmed on Wednesday by health officials.
Medical officer of health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, said a man in his 70s who was staying at Seaton House died in hospital on Monday.
The first death was a man in his 50s who was a resident at Dixon Hall Schoolhouse. He died on May 8 in hospital.
De Villa says Seaton House has been experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19 since April 6.
She added that all residents of the shelter have been tested for the virus, and the 28 people who tested positive were moved off-site.
The city’s handling of the homeless during the pandemic has become a contentious issue.
Advocates recently filed a lawsuit against the city for not enforcing physical distancing guidelines at the shelters.
The city has been buying and leasing hotels in an effort to house the homeless during the pandemic.
