It’s been a while since the last prom but it’s hard to imagine how virtual hand-holding could replace a slow dance. A real COVID-19 sacrifice.

“Not coping”

“How long has it been, six years?”

“I don’t even know anymore”

This video of young people at Trinity Bellwoods Park Saturday was linked to Twitter. Youthful frustration at being a forced shut-in is apparent. Sunday’s aftermath as seen on Twitter continues to boil. Pictures of Mayor Tory apparently at the park in the middle of social-distancing scofflaws are a delight to the NDP. He is severely scolded for alleged hypocrisy. As is usually the case, this occasion inspires weird posts. One Twitter soul complains the crowd was “all white”. Some tweets say there are far fewer people around Sunday as police are ticketing.

The Ministry of Health Sunday issued the bad news number of 460 COVID-19 cases, another clear sign that Ontario/’s battle against the illness has gone into retreat. It was May 9 that the province recorded fewer than 300 new daily cases. Since then the number has continued to stagger upwards with Sunday’s number is the highest in days. The medical accounting published daily by the ministry shows that there were 11,383 tests performed Saturday. Ministry

Twitter is ablaze with anger Sunday morning as people assail the safe-distance orders of the City as well as a ban on gatherings of more than five people. Saturday saw Trinity Bellwoods Park jammed with merrymakers who seemed indifferent to COVID-19. This morning some are attacking Mayor Tory and others for closing parks. Failed mayoral candidate Jennifer Keesmaat declares that you can’t catch COVID-19 outdoors (really?) and demands “adapt streets for people. This law and order approach being bandied about is misplaced,” she shouts. Then we have many health workers and others denouncing those who packed the park Saturday. Dr. Brian Goldman says it was dangerous and selfish behavior. See comments here

“Unacceptable”

The City released a statement late Saturday night, calling the crowds “unacceptable” and said bylaw officers and police would have a visible presence at Trinity Bellwoods starting Sunday morning to ensure there were no repeats of the crowds seen Saturday. They added the physical distancing bylaw will be strictly enforced as well. “Public gatherings, like today’s in Trinity Bellwoods Park, threaten to undo the challenging work residents of this City have done over the last 10 weeks in their collective effort to bear COVID-19,” read the statement. The scene may be set for a showdown between police and park-goers Sunday but who knows.

I understand that the photos of people in Trinity Bellwoods were disappointing today. It was a beautiful day & we all want to enjoy our city together, but this could be selfish & dangerous behaviour that could set us back. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/cKVj0DdBhh

— Dr. Eileen de Villa (@epdevilla) May 23, 2020

The Ministry of Health reports an overnight total of 412 new cases of COVID-19 infection. This number is down from Friday’s count of 441 but continues the upward creep of the virus curve. CP24 posts a rolling five-day average of daily cases which recently stood as low as 326 but has now reached 416. Ministry.

Cygnets hatched at Ashbridge’s Bay/Colin Mcconnell

Leslieville nature photographer Colin Mcconnell has posted these shots of a swan family on Ashbridge’s Bay. Lovely. FB

Work of nature photographer Colin Mcconnell

You may find yourself giggling a little hysterically as the CBC lists all the things you must not do — and there are a lot — if you hope to wear a non-medical mask correctly. Best of luck.

Premier Ford indicated Friday that Ontario will join a nationwide smartphone app program designed to help trace contacts of those who fall victim to COVID-19. The app makes a digital handshake with other phones carrying the app as their owners go about their business when away from home. If anyone on the digital list of contacts falls victim to the virus, health authorities have a quick way to warn all those who came in contact. Ford said all premiers agree there should be a common app and officials are now working on that. One app already in use is AB (Alberta) Trace Together. Here’s how it works.

The Ministry of Health has reported a disturbing upturn in COVID-19 infections Friday as the overnight count of new cases hit 441. The province has now seen its rolling five-day average of new cases steadily increase for close to a week. It was 326 on Monday but since then it has gone up to 360, 370, 375 and now 395. Premier Ford has said he will order a reversal of the retail reopening program if public health is jeopardized. Ministry

• Canada is reopening without knowing where Canadians are getting COVID-19

China Friday imposed new rules on Hong Kong, effectively allowing the autocratic Communist government of Xi Jinping greater control over the semi-autonomous region. The rules will permit China to crack down on pro-democracy protests, setting the government up for a showdown with the US. At the close of markets Friday, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was down 5.7%, while in morning trade in Europe, all major indexes fell. The central government in China said China’s ceremonial parliament is exploring a bill that could suppress opposition in Hong Kong and ban “treason, secession, sedition and subversion” in the former British colony. CBC

Peel MOH Lawrence Loh

When no one knows where, when or who

The Ministry of Health reports 413 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday. This overnight number reveals a continuing slow increase in cases seen in Ontario in recent days. CP24 says that a rolling five-day average of new cases has gone from 326 on Monday to 375 Thursday.

Where is transmission occurring?

Amid concern about the need for more aggressive testing, including checks of people at large who have no symptoms, attention has also turned to places where community spread seems worse. Numbers in the linked CBC story suggest that such transmission is quite serious in Peel Region. It has ten percent of the provincial population but has seen 20 percent of infections. Ministry Peel MOH expresses concern