TORONTO -- The number of new COVID-19 infections in Ontario has surpassed 100 for the eighth day in a row.
Health officials reported 132 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday bringing the provincial total to 42,686 including deaths and recoveries.
No new deaths were recorded in the last 24 hour-period leaving the provincial death toll unchanged at 2,812.
As well, 119 more cases are now considered resolved by health officials, pushing the number of COVID-19 recoveries in the province to 38,625.
The last time new daily case numbers in Ontario were below the 100 mark was on August 26 when 88 new infections were reported.
There are currently 1,249 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Most of the new cases added on Thursday were reported in people between the ages of 40 and 59. The 42 new patients in that age group bring the total to 12,706.
Another 41 new patients are between the ages of 20 and 39 and make up 13,419 of all cases in the province, the most of any age group.
Nineteen new cases were recorded in people 19 years of age and younger, a statistic Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he has been keeping a close eye on as students prepare to return to class.
Twenty-one cases were reported in patients between the ages of 60 and 79 and eight cases were reported in patients 80 years of age or older.
Health officials concerned by trends
Dr. David Williams said during a press conference on Thursday that he's concerned by Ontario's COVID-19 trends.
"It does concern me because we were well under 100 for a week or so and then we bumped up higher," Williams said. "I'm hearing from health units, as I talk to Peel and Toronto, they're dealing with clusters around social events."
Williams said that people not following public health guidelines is a "concerning issue" and is pleading with Ontarians to "stay the task."
"I know it's a long run but it's just the way it is with these viruses," Williams said.
Meanwhile, Most of the new cases reported on Thursday are in just three regions. There were 45 new cases in Peel, 31 in Toronto and 22 in Ottawa.
Of the province’s 34 public health units, 18 reported no new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.
The other 13 public health units recorded five or fewer new cases.
COVID-19 testing in Ontario
The province has completed more than three million tests for COVID-19 since the beginning of the outbreak.
At least 26,298 of those tests were processed in the last 24 hours alone.
There are 22,769 tests currently under investigation
