Just over 150 new COVID-19 cases logged in Ontario as 7-day average rises
Ontario is reporting just over 150 new cases of COVID-19 as the seven-day rolling average of daily infections continues to rise.
On Wednesday, health officials logged 158 new cases of the novel coronavirus, as well as four additional deaths related to the disease.
There were 127 infections reported on Tuesday, 119 on Monday and 172 on Sunday.
The seven-day rolling average of daily COVID-19 cases now stands at about 160, up from 155 the previous week.
The seven-day average has been creeping up following four days in which the daily case count was above the 150 mark.
With just over 20,500 COVID-19 tests processed in the last 24-hours, the Ministry of Health says that the province’s positivity rate now stands at about 0.8 per cent.
The deaths reported Wednesday bring the province’s death toll related to COVID-19 to 9,325.
According to the province, there are 122 patients in Ontario intensive care units as a result of COVID-19. Of those patients, 83 are breathing with the assistance of a ventilator.
In total, there have been 549,734 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 identified in Ontario, including deaths and recoveries.
WHERE ARE THE COVID-19 CASES?
The majority of new infections are found in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.
There are 25 cases in Toronto, 19 in York Region, 19 in Waterloo, 15 in Hamilton, 13 in Durham Region and 10 in Peel Region.
Eleven public health units are reporting no new cases of COVID-19, while all other municipalities have logged fewer than 10 infections.
SIGNIFICANT JUMP IN DELTA VARIANT
On Wednesday, the province reported an additional 123 cases of the Delta B. 1617.2 variant in lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19. This brings the total number of Delta variant cases in Ontario to 4,044.
Ontario health officials also reporte62 more cases of the Alpha B.1.1.7. variant and 17 cases of the Gamma P.1. variant.
In total, there are 156,169 lab-confirmed cases involving variants of concern identified in Ontario.
Chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore said on Tuesday the Delta variant is expected to cause a rise in cases over the next few months and that vaccination is critical to reduce hospitalizations and deaths.
He added that the risk of getting the disease is 6.4 times higher for unvaccinated people.
In the last 24 hours, 94,116 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered to eligible Ontarians.
More than 8.7 million people have received two shots and are considered 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
Israel gave U.S. last-minute warning about drone attack on Iran, Italian foreign minister says at G7
The United States told the Group of Seven foreign ministers on Friday that it received 'last minute' information from Israel about a drone action in Iran, but didn't participate in the apparent attack, officials said.
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.