Ford, the health secretary, speaks at 10 a.m. ET as the administration faces a backlash on multiple fronts | Rare Techy

Premier Doug Ford and Health Minister Sylvia Jones will hold a press conference in Toronto Thursday morning.

You can watch it live in this story starting around 10:00 a.m. ET. in the player above.

The government has not said what the announcement is about. But many hospitals remain strained by the influx of patients — especially children — seeking care for illnesses such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (known as RSV) and COVID-19.

According to Ontario’s Acute Care Enhanced Surveillance (ACES), the number of hospital emergency department visits in all age groups with respiratory complaints is higher than the average for this time of year in the pre-pandemic season. database.

The database tracks daily respiratory disease visits and admissions, covering all major hospitals in the province.

The rate of children and teenagers hospitalized with respiratory symptoms has continued to fall since a peak in early November, although it remains well above the historical average. Several Ontario children’s hospitals have recently announced they are scaling back operations and deploying staff to help avoid overburdened intensive care units and emergency departments.

The burden on hospitals continues to be increased by a widespread shortage of personnel. Health care professionals have said the shortage is partly due to an exodus of nurses burned out after several years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Positive flu test rates are now in double digits in Toronto, prompting public health physician Dr. Eileen de Villa to issue a new plea for those who can get their annual vaccine.

Bill 124 of the Ford government limited the salaries of nurses. On Tuesday, an Ontario Superior Court judge ruled the law unconstitutional. The government said it plans to appeal the decision.

This morning will also be the first time in weeks that Ford will take questions from the media as his government faces a backlash over several other controversial moves, including new housing laws and changes to the Greenbelt Act.