Niagara officials expect region to move to Red level later today

The province is expected to announce if Niagara will be moving to a different level of the COVID-19 restriction system today.

As of this morning, Niagara is still in the 'Orange' protect level, but as cases continue to rise many officials believe it is unlikely the region will stay there.

At the beginning of the week, following a weekend with 136 newly confirmed cases, Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Mustafa Hirji attributed the surge in cases to social gatherings, household spread, and ongoing local outbreaks.

"Even before we had the numbers from this weekend, we were at the point where our average number of cases per week was high enough that the province was likely going to be looking at putting us into the Red level. I think that becomes an even more foregone conclusion after this weekend."

The criteria to put a region into the 'Red' level includes 2.5 percent positivity or more, repeated outbreaks in multiple sectors, hospital capacity at risk of being overwhelmed, and a weekly incidence rate of 40 per 100,000.

Under that level, social gatherings and public events are limited to 5 people indoors and 25 outdoors, movie theatres are closed, and a 10 person limit for indoor dining is imposed.

The announcement from the province will come later today.