COVID-19 cases in Ontario jump past 200 for first time in three weeks
Ontario health officials are reporting a jump in COVID-19 cases Thursday with more than 200 new infections recorded.
The 218 cases mark the first time in three weeks in which the province has logged more than 200 new cases.
Thursday's report brings the total number of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases across Ontario to 549,952, including 539,200 recoveries and 9,328 deaths related to the disease.
Right now, the seven-day average for number of cases reported sits at 165. That's up from the 155 reported a week earlier.
With 19,425 tests processed in the last 24 hours, the province’s COVID-19 positivity rate is 1.3 per cent, according to the Ministry of Health.
There are currently 121 patients in intensive care with COVID-19. Of those patients, 79 are breathing with the assistance of a ventilator.
Where are the new COVID-19 cases?
Most of the cases reported by the province Thursday were found in Toronto (38), Peel Region (38), and Waterloo (19).
Other health units that reported case numbers in the double digits include Hamilton (25), Grey Bruce (13), Halton Region (12), Middlesex-London (10), and York Region (10).
At least 16 of the province's 34 public health units recorded fewer than 10 new cases of the novel coronavirus and several others recorded no new cases.
Update on COVID-19 variants of concern
Another 377 cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant B.1.617.2 were confirmed in the last 24 hours. This brings the case total for the strain to 4,421.
Thirty-four cases of the Alpha variant B.1.1.7 were also found, bringing the case total to 145,508.
Labs logged two additional cases of the Gamma variant P.1. There are 5,161 such infections confirmed in Ontario.
No new cases of the Beta variant B.1.351 were recorded since yesterday. The case total remains at 1,492.
More than 19 million doses of vaccine administered
Since the beginning of the province’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign, Ontario has administered 19,293,701 doses of vaccine.
That includes 89,000 shots that went into arms yesterday and more than 8 million residents that have received both doses and are considered to be fully vaccinated.
Background
The numbers used in this story are found in the Ontario Ministry of Health's COVID-19 Daily Epidemiologic Summary. The number of cases for any city or region may differ slightly from what is reported by the province, because local units report figures at different times.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.