COVID-19 cases that is pushing the health-care system to the brink.Health Minister Christine Elliott says the government is exploring its options to boost hospital capacity and staffing levels as variants of concern wreak havoc on the province.She said in a news conference on Monday that hospitals have been instructed to ramp down all surgeries “except the ones that are absolutely life-and-death matters.” Ontario government adding ICU beds, hiring nursing students to deal with COVID-19 case surge The cancellation of elective surgeries is “unfortunate, but sadly necessary right now,” Elliott said in the legislature.The province reported 4,401 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday — more than 1,280 in Toronto — and 15 new deaths due to the.