Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health says a coroner will determine the exact cause of death in Ontario’s first death potentially related to COVID-19.
The individual was a 77-year old man who passed away on March 11th at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie.
The man was in close contact of another positive case (an Alberta man being treated at RVH) and COVID-19 was recently identified after his death.
The coroner’s investigation is ongoing and more will be known in the days ahead. The report could be available as early as today (Wednesday).
The death is further evidence of the increasing seriousness of the situation we are in, added Williams, which is why the province has been taking decisive steps to manage the spread of COVID-19 in Ontario.
Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Ontario’s Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health, says 186 positive cases in Ontario 92 per cent of which are related to travel outside of Canada, particularly in the states and close contact with cases.