COVID-19 case numbers in Ontario remain below 300 for fifth straight day
Ontario is reporting a little over 250 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, marking the fifth consecutive day in which case numbers have remained below the 300 mark.
Health officials logged 256 infections of the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours which is a slight decrease from Thursday’s total when 296 were added.
A day earlier, the province recorded 255 cases and the lowest single-day case total reported since Sept. 15.
Friday’s report brings Ontario’s COVID-19 case total to 543,571, including 531,571 recoveries and 9,101 deaths—two of which were reported since yesterday.
The Ministry of Health said that labs across the province processed 26,561 tests Thursday, yielding a positivity rate of 1.3 per cent.
The seven-day average for number of cases reported stands at 292. A week ago, that number was 410.
Right now, there are 2,899 active cases of the novel coronavirus in Ontario.
There are currently 275 patients in hospital with COVID-19. Of those patients, 284 are being treated in an intensive care unit and 173 are on a ventilator.
It should be noted that the total number of hospitalizations stated by the province Friday is actually lower than that of ICU admissions, which may be due to a delay in patient reporting.
Where are the new COVID-19 cases?
Of the cases reported by the province on Friday, most were found in Waterloo (39), Peel Region (38), and Toronto (36).
Other areas that recorded case counts in the double digits include Grey Bruce (18), Hamilton (17), and Porcupine Health Unit (11).
On Thursday, the province announced that it would move to Step 2 of its reopening plan two days early while citing declining case numbers and the increased rate of vaccinations across the province.
As of June 30, residents will be allowed to book personal care services, meet with up to 25 people outdoors, and host indoor gatherings of up to five people.
READ MORE: What's allowed when Ontario enters Step 2 of its COVID-19 reopening plan
The province had originally expected to enter Step 2 on July 2.
However, the Region of Waterloo will remain in Step 1 due to current COVID-19 transmission trends and the prevalence of the Delta variant, local health officials said.
Also, Porcupine Health Unit, which has remained under lockdown measures as the rest of the province reopened on June 11, will enter Step 1 today.
Update on COVID-19 variants of concern
Health officials confirmed 139 more instances of COVID-19 variants of concern in the last 24-hour period.
Labs found 110 additional cases of the Alpha variant, B.1.1.7, bringing the case total to 143,035.
Another 24 cases of the Delta variant, B.1.617.2, were also found, pushing its case total to 1,080.
There were five other cases of the Beta variant, B.1.351, reported, which brings the case total for the strain to 1,161.
No new cases of the Gamma variant, P.1, were recorded Thursday and the case total remains unchanged at 4,270.
Record number of vaccinations administered
The province said it administered a record 246,393 doses of COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday.
Throughout Ontario’s seven-month vaccination campaign, 13,569,209 needles have gone into arms, including 3.76 million people who have received both shots and are considered to be fully vaccinated.
On Friday, the government announced that adults in Ontario who received an mRNA vaccine will become eligible to book a second shot next week.
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
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.