Niagara Falls cruise photo illustrates stark difference in COVID-19 response between U.S. and Canada

A picture is worth a thousand words - or in this case, a reflection of the contrast in dealing with COVID-19 in North America.

Photos comparing the number of passengers on each of the tour boats at Niagara Falls symbolize the stark difference in the pandemic response between Canada and the U.S., people on social media say.

A photo shot Monday by Torstar's Bob Tymczyszyn shows the U.S. Maid of the Mist which is running at 50 per cent capacity across from the Canadian Hornblower with just six passengers on board.

The Hornblower can typically carry up to 700 people but until the City of Niagara moves to the next stage of the province's reopening, it has been operating on reduced capacity.

When the city enters Stage 3 on Friday, the tours will be allowing up to 100 passengers on the Canadian boats which is still less than 15 per cent of its regular capacity.

As of Tuesday, the state of New York has had 435,753 cases of COVID-19 and 32,602 deaths. Ontario's public health units reported 40,005 confirmed and probable cases, including 2,788 deaths, according to the Star's count.

Raneem Alozzi is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @r_alozzi