TORONTO -- The number of deaths related to COVID-19 in Ontario has reached 200.

Provincial health officials confirmed 26 new deaths on Thursday morning, while announcing 483 more cases of the novel coronavirus.

There are now a total of 5,759 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ontario.

In Thursday’s epidemiologic summary, health officials listed one deceased patient as being between the ages of 20 and 39. Thirteen other people who have died of the virus in the province were between the ages of 40 and 59, 65 people were between the ages of 60 and 79 and 121 people were 80 years of age or older.

Currently, 632 patients remain in hospitals across Ontario and of those patients, 264 of them are receiving treatment in an intensive care unit. Of those 264 patients, 214 of them remain on ventilators to assist with breathing.

Health officials also stated that 622 of all Ontario patients are health care workers.

Quick facts on all COVID-19 patients in Ontario:

  • 12.5 per cent of all patients have been hospitalized at one point
  • 69 outbreaks have been reported in long-term care homes in the province
  • 45.5 per cent of all patients in the province are male and 53.8 per cent are female – 35 cases did not specify male or female gender
  • 2.4 per cent of all patients are 19 years of age or younger
  • 25.4 per cent of all patients are between the ages of 20 and 39
  • 34.7 per cent of all patients are between the ages of 40 and 59
  • 24.5 per cent of all patients are between the ages of 60 and 79
  • 12.8 per cent of all patients are 80 years of age or older
  • Public health units in the Greater Toronto Area account for 52.5 per cent of all cases in the province
  • 17.5 per cent of all patients had travelled in the 14 days prior to becoming ill
  • 15.3 per cent of all patients had contact with a previously confirmed case
  • 19.8 per cent of all patients had community exposure
  • 47.4 per cent of all patients had exposure information listed as pending

COVID-19 testing in Ontario

There are an additional 1,208 people in the province currently under investigation for the virus.

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On Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said his patience regarding the province’s slow pace in testing was running thin.

According to the government, the province’s capacity for testing is 13,000 per day currently, but only about 3,500 are actually being submitted through assessment centres.

Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams responded to Ford’s frustration later in the day, saying they are able to do about 14,000 tests a day, but are still looking into criteria for how to best utilize the new testing capacity.

To date, 88,698 people have been tested for the virus across the province.

The number of resolved cases now sits at 2,305.

There are no specific treatments for the virus and there is no vaccine that protects against it.

Symptoms of the virus, which can include fever, cough and shortness of breath, are similar to other respiratory infections.

The Ontario government’s website advises those experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 to contact their primary health care provider or Telehealth Ontario.