At least 44 people, including five from York Region, are confirmed with COVID-19 after attending a two-day wedding event in Vaughan on Oct. 14 and 18, according to York Region Public Health.
Just over 100 were guests at the wedding held indoors at the Opus Room in the Avani Event Centre, said the public notice stating anyone who attended is at high risk of being exposed and is advised to self-isolate for 14 days until Nov. 2.
Of the 44 cases, 39 are from surrounding regions: 31 from Peel, three from Halton, one from Toronto, one from Simcoe Muskoka, two from Wellington Dufferin Guelph, and one from Waterloo.
"Health units with confirmed cases are conducting case and contact management activities associated with this large wedding. York Region continues to work with the family to notify attendees about the potential exposures," the public health unit said.
This is the second large cluster of cases linked to a wedding in the York Region, the unit noted.
Since the outbreak, public health has inspected the Avani Event Centre and is "assessing next steps."
At the time of the event, the centre and its banquet facilities were under stage 3 re-opening restrictions.
The day after the wedding, York Region was placed under modified stage 2 restrictions limiting private social gatherings held indoors to 10 people or less or up to 25 people outdoors. This restriction applies to wedding receptions.
For religious rites, such as the ceremony, the indoor limit is 30 per cent of the room's capacity, and attendees must physically distance themselves from each other.
You can further protect yourself, your immediate family and the community by continuing to practise public health measures, including:
- Staying home if you are ill
- Limiting outings to essential trips
- Avoid close contact with anyone other than your immediate household members
- Wash or sanitizing hands frequently
- Wearing a mask in indoor public places and where it is difficult to maintain two metres of physical distance
- Physically distancing by maintaining a two-metre distance from others
- Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands
- Get the flu shot
- Download the COVID Alert app
