TORONTO -- Ontario has recorded fewer than 200 new cases of COVID-19 for the first time in months.

Health officials reported 182 new cases of the disease on Friday, bringing the provincial total to 31,726. This was the first time the case number fell into the 100s since late March. 

“With 182 new cases of COVID-19, today is the lowest day-over-day increase since March 28 and a positive sign that the downward trend in new cases is continuing,” Ontario’s Health Minister Christine Elliott tweeted on Friday. “This is at a time when daily testing remains at all-time highs with over 28,000 tests processed yesterday.”

For four days in a row, health officials were reporting daily case totals of fewer than 300, prompting Elliott to call it a “very promising” trend.

On Friday, the province also reported 302 newly resolved cases, bringing the total to 26,187.

She also noted that 28 of Ontario’s 34 public health units reported only up to five new cases, including 17 that reported zero. 

“That’s very positive news and confirms that regions are ready to reopen more services,” she said.

Health officials also reported on Friday an additional 11 COVID-related deaths in the past 24-hour period, bringing the total to 2,498.

According to Friday’s epidemiologic summary, 1,732 people 80 years of age or older have died as a result of the virus. Another 661 deaths are in people between the ages of 60 and 79.

The number of deceased patients between the ages of 40 and 59 remains unchanged at 94 and the number of deaths for people between the ages of 20 and 39 stands at 11. 

To this date, there have been no deaths recorded in people 19 years of age or younger. 

There are currently 527 patients in hospital, including 114 who are being treated in intensive care units. The overall number of people in hospital continues to trend downward in the province.

COVID-19 testing in Ontario

The province's completed 28,335 COVID-19 tests in the last 24-hour period.

In total, the province has conducted more than 953,015 tests for the novel coronavirus. There are currently 18,512 tests under investigation.

Quick facts on all COVID-19 patients in Ontario:

  • To date, 17,203 patients in the province are female and 14,265 are male.
  • 1,326 patients are 19 years of age or younger.
  • 8,783 patients are between the ages of 20 and 39.
  • 9,730 patients are between the ages of 40 and 59.
  • 6,204 patients are between the ages of 60 and 79.
  • 5,669 patients are 80 years of age or older.