TORONTO -- Ontario is reporting more than 1,700 new COVID-19 infections Monday morning as the province’s positivity rate inches closer to five per cent.

Health officials added 1,746 cases, which is up slightly from the 1,708 infections added a day earlier.

With 39,406 tests completed in the last 24 hours the province’s COVID-19 positivity rate stands at 4.6 per cent, the highest it’s been since last Wednesday. The number of tests processed is down considerably from the province's daily testing goal of 50,000 which it exceeded for three straight days prior. 

Monday’s report brings the total number of COVID-19 infections in Ontario to 116,492, including deaths and recoveries.

Eight more deaths were recorded in the previous day pushing the province’s COVID-19 death toll to 3,656.

As well, 1,320 cases are now considered to be resolved by the ministry of health. At least 98,639 people who contracted COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic have since recovered.

Most of the cases added Monday were found in people between the ages of 20 and 39. Those 645 lab-confirmed infections push the case total for that age group to 42,460, the most in the province.

Another 526 cases were reported in people between the ages of 40 and 59 while 234 cases were logged in people 19 years of age and younger.

At least 233 cases were documented in people between the ages of 60 and 79 and 106 cases were found in those 80 years of age and older.  

Toronto reports record number of cases, Windsor-Essex moves to 'red zone'

A record 622 cases were reported in Toronto , one of two areas currently observing the lockdown measures of the province’s COVID-19 framework.

Peel Region is also under lockdown and reported 390 new cases.

York and Durham regions both reported new case numbers in the triple digits and are currently in the province’s “red zone,” which places a cap on indoor gatherings and non-essential activities.

The City of Hamilton, Halton and Waterloo are also observing the same restrictions and all reported new case numbers in the double digits.

Windsor-Essex reporter 38 new cases and moved into the “red zone” earlier this morning.

There are currently 618 patients in Ontario hospitals with COVID-19. Of those, 168 are being treated in an intensive care unit and 108 are on a ventilator.

Some 39,000 COVID-19 tests remain under investigation.