Ontario logs 373 new COVID-19 cases as province launches vaccine QR code

TORONTO -

Ontario has logged 373 new COVID-19 cases on Monday as the province’s new enhanced vaccine certificate becomes available to all residents.

Of the new infections, the Ministry of Health says that 265 are in individuals who are not fully vaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status.

The new infections mark a significant decrease from the 443 cases on Sunday and the 486 cases on Saturday.

The province’s seven-day average of daily COVID-19 cases continues to decline. As of Monday, the average stands at 416.

With just over 20,400 tests processed in the last 24-hours, the Ministry of Health says the province’s positivity rate is about 1.8 per cent.

There are at least 168 people being treated for COVID-19 in Ontario intensive care units. Vaccination data for hospitalized patients is not available on Mondays due to a lack of reporting over the weekend.

The total number of people to die after contracting COVID-19 in Ontario now stands at 9,815. Two of those deaths were confirmed in the last 24 hours.

The new infections come as the province’s enhanced COVID-19 vaccine QR code becomes available to all residents.

Ontarians can now download a scannable QR code that can be presented to restaurants and businesses that require proof of vaccination, along with an acceptable form of identification.

As of 9:50 a.m., Minister of Health Christine Elliott said that more than 2.2 million people have downloaded the QR code.

Great news! Since the launch of the enhanced vaccine certificate with official QR code on Friday, over 2.2 million Ontarians have downloaded their copy in advance of October 22!

Starting today, anyone can download their enhanced vaccine certificate at https://t.co/oe5YrSxcEt.

— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) October 18, 2021

Proof of vaccination is mandatory to dine indoors in Ontario as well as access gyms, movie theatres and large concert and sport venues.

WHERE ARE THE NEW COVID-19 CASES?

The majority of the new COVID-19 cases can be found in Peel Region (71), Toronto (62), Ottawa (36), and Hamilton (26).

Nineteen public health units reported fewer than 10 new COVID-19 cases, according to the province’s epidemiology report.

Of the 373 cases reported Monday, 110 were in people under the age of 20.

There were 116 infections in people between the ages of 20 and 39 while 97 cases were logged in people between the ages of 40 and 69.

Fifty cases were recorded in people over the age of 60.

An additional 81 cases of the Delta variant were identified in lab-confirmed COVID-19 tests in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 19,880.

Ontario officials say that 83.1 per cent of eligible individuals aged 12 and up have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Nearly 87.5 per cent have received at least one dose.