Ontario records dip in COVID-19 cases but recent upward trend continues

TORONTO -- Ontario is reporting a dip in the number of new COVID-19 cases but is still recording an uptick from last week’s trends.

Health officials confirmed 165 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, which is a decrease from the 203 cases reported on Tuesday. Of the 203 new cases yesterday, 35 were a result of a backlog in Peel Region and did not occur in the previous 24-hour period. 

Health Minister Christine Elliott said 207 additional cases were also considered resolved in the province on Wednesday and that 28 of the 34 public health regions recorded fewer than five new infections. 

More than 50 per cent of Wednesday's new cases are in people under the age of 40.

While the number of new cases is down from yesterday, last week Ontario reported fewer than 129 new cases each day, except for Saturday when 166 infections were recorded. Since then, the province has reported more than 135 new cases each day.

The province also recorded two additional COVID-19-related deaths in its latest report. A total of 2,755 people in Ontario have died as a result of the novel coronavirus.

Hospitalizations for the disease have increased for the second day. There are now 128 patients in Ontario hospitals with COVID-19, up from the 120 reported one day prior.

Of those 128 patients, 37 are being treated in an intensive care unit, 19 of which are breathing with the assistance of a ventilator.

Where are the new COVID-19 cases?

According to Wednesday's epidemiology report, these are the regions reporting the most new cases:

• Windsor-Essex - 39 cases
• Ottawa - 33 cases 
• Toronto - 28 cases
• Peel Region - 25 cases 
• York Region - 11 cases

Toronto, Peel Region and Windsor-Essex have all been held back from advancing to Stage 3 of the province's reopening plan because of their case numbers.

Of the new cases in Ontario, 19 of them were under the age of 19, 66 of them were between the ages of 20 and 39, and 59 of them were between the ages of 40 and 59. There were 21 cases in people aged 60 and older.

Ontario is reporting 165 cases of #COVID19, a 0.4% increase. Locally, 28 of 34 PHUs are reporting 5 or fewer cases, with 18 of them reporting no new cases. Ottawa is adding 33 cases, with 25 in Peel and 39 in Windsor-Essex. Just over 50% of today’s cases are under the age of 40.

— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) July 22, 2020

The majority of total deaths to date have been reported in people over the age of 70. One person, under the age of 19, who had COVID-19 died in Ontario, but it is not clear if the death was caused by the disease or other health issues.

Eleven patients who died were between the ages of 20 and 39, while 114 were between the ages of 40 and 59 and 738 were between the ages of 60 and 79.

COVID-19 testing in Ontario

In the last 24 hours, just over 23,990 COVID-19 tests were conducted by officials.

Ontario health officials have conducted more than 1.93 million tests for the disease since the pandemic was declared.

More than 18,881 tests are still under investigation.