Modeling suggests COVID cases in Ontario could rise in late February

New COVID-19 cases in Ontario, Canada's most populous province, are likely to rise again beginning in late February as a more contagious variant of the coronavirus spreads, and intensive care admissions could follow in March, a panel of experts advising the provincial government said on Thursday.

New cases have fallen sharply in the province in recent weeks. The province has reopened some schools and is preparing to lift stay-at-home orders that cover much of Ontario.