TORONTO

Ontario records more than 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 for third time in less than a week

Phil Tsekouras CTVNewsToronto.ca Journalist

Published Friday, November 6, 2020 10:11AM EST Last Updated Friday, November 6, 2020 2:19PM EST

Respiratory registered nurse Angeline Kurian, who works on a COVID-19 floor, wears personal protective equipment as she has a coffee break at the Humber River Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto on Thursday, November 5, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

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TORONTO -- New cases of COVID-19 in Ontario have passed the 1,000 mark for the third time in less than a week.

Friday's 1,003 new infections represent an increase over Thursday’s total when 998 new cases were logged.

Ontario’s seven-day average for number of cases reported now stands at 996, a new record for the province. With 41,268 tests processed in the last 24 hours, Ontario's COVID-19 positivity rate is currently 2.4 per cent.

Another 14 deaths related to COVID-19 occured in the previous day, according to the Ministry of Health.

In total, there are 81,693 lab confirmed cases of the disease in Ontario, including 3,209 deaths and 70,086 resolved cases.

The news comes on the same day that the Ontario government released its finalized list of where each area is placed in its new tiered shutdown system.

The protocol comes into effect on Saturday at 12:01 a.m. and slots each of Ontario’s 34 public health units into one of five categories, prevent, protect, restrict, control, or lockdown, each with their own set of public health measures.

Most of the new infections logged Friday are in people between the ages of 20 and 39 with 337 cases reported in that age group. People between the ages of 40 and 59 make up the second highest number of cases reported Tuesday with 294 new infetions added.

As well, 141 cases were recorded in people 19 years of age and younger, while 132 other cases were added in people between the ages of 60 and 79.

At least 97 new cases were added in people 80 years of age and older.

Where are the new COVID-19 cases?

Toronto (300), Peel (280) and York (125) regions continue to report the lion’s share of the new cases.

Those regions, as well as Ottawa (43), are currently observing a modified set of public health measures, which prohibit indoor dining at restaurants and bars as well as the use of gyms and theatres in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Those measures are set to expire for most of those regions on Saturday when the province's new tiered lockdown system comes into effect.

Peel Region is the only region facing the control phase restrictions, which still allows indoor dining and gyms to reopen on Saturday but with strict conditions. If the spread of COVID-19 can’t be controlled, the next step would be a full closure of non-essential businesses.

Toronto will continue to observe the modified Stage 2 restrictions until at least Nov. 14, at the request of Mayor John Tory.

Meanwhile, there are 380 patients in an Ontario hospital with COVID-19. Of those patients, 86 are being treated in an intensive care unit while 49 are breathing with the assistance of a ventilator.

With files from CTV News Toronto's Sean Davidson.