Ford Slams Ontario's Low COVID-19 Test Rate As Totally 'Unacceptable'

It seems Doug Ford is done talking nicely. The province has seen a significant rise in cases of COVID-19 in Ontario in just one day and the Premier has now called out the low testing rate. Ford spoke to reporters on April 8 and insisted his patience "has run thin." He vowed to push Ontario to reach its target mark of 13,000 tests per day starting immediately. 

The Premier spoke with reporters at 1:15 p.m. at Queen's Park on Wednesday, April 8.

And, striking an unimpressed tone near the end of his briefing, he emphasized he's disappointed in the number of tests the province is currently managing to run per day.

"What is unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable, are the numbers of testing that we're doing," the Premier stressed.

"I may not understand health, but what I understand are numbers. We also understand that countries that have tested and ramped up testing have shown results.

"Now, my patience has run thin and no more excuses. It's unacceptable. We have the capacity, now the testing capabilities, the assessment centres."

On Tuesday, it was reported that Ontario is actually running not only fewer tests per capita than most other Canadian provinces, but also fewer than it was running a week ago.

"We say we can do 13,000 a day. Then we need to start doing 13,000 every single day," Ford insisted. "I want to see every single long-term care home tested, every patient."

"I want to see every frontline health worker in this province tested and along with our first responders, our police, fire, paramedics. We owe it to them.

"I have the confidence of our health team, we have to make this happen and we need to start doing it immediately, starting tomorrow."

Ford added later on, "I'm giving you my word, the support is coming. This would be a 10,000 increase in tests a day."

On Wednesday, Ontario announced its biggest single-day jump in cases so far during the pandemic, including 21 more deaths. 

At least the province's residents are responding, though, after Ford warned Ontario could run out of personal protective equipment for frontline health workers by next week.

In response to that crisis, Ontarians — including a collaboration of university students — are making their own 3D surgical masks to protect health workers.

Per the province's dedicated COVID-19 page on Wednesday morning, nearly 85,000 tests have been run so far.

However, CityNews claims only 3,200 were completed in the last 24 hours, despite labs being able to theoretically run 13,000 per day.

Ford is determined to have the province hit that mark sooner rather than later.