TORONTO -- Ontario is reporting nearly 900 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the seven-day average up again.
Health officials reported 896 new cases on Friday after they had reported 936 new cases on Thursday and 834 new cases on Wednesday. The recent numbers bring the seven-day average to 909 cases daily.
The rolling seven-day average of cases rose to 899 on Thursday, which at the time, marked the highest number since the pandemic began.
With more than 41,000 tests completed in the previous 24-hour period, Friday's positivity rate is nearly 2.2 per cent.
The province also recorded that nine more people have died due to the novel coronavirus in the previous 24-hour period, including three people living in long-term care homes.
The new infections bring the province's COVID-19 lab-confirmed case total to 74,715, including 63,919 resolved cases and 3,127 deaths.
Most of the new cases (304) added on Friday involve people between the ages of 20 and 39. Another 239 cases involve people between the ages of 40 and 59. Almost 130 cases involve people 19 years of age and younger, while 126 new infections involve people between the ages of 60 and 79.
Health officials reported that 103 of the new cases were recorded in people 80 years of age and older, which marks a significant single-day increase after 57 new cases were reported in that age group on Thursday.
Health officials report that 314 people are receiving treatment for COVID-19 in Ontario hospitals, which is a slight decrease over Thursday report. Of those patients, 75 are in the intensive care unit and 52 are breathing with the assistance of a ventilator.
According to the provincial government, when there are less than 150 COVID-19 patients being treated in intensive care in Ontario hospitals, the province can "maintain non-COVID capacity and all scheduled surgeries."
Once that number rises above 150 it becomes harder to support non-COVID-19 needs, the government said. Once it exceeds 350 people, it becomes
Where are the new COVID-19 cases?
Ontario’s four COVID-19 hotspots continue to have the highest number of infections.
Of the new cases reported on Friday, 314 were in Toronto, 173 were in Peel Region, 115 were in York Region and 92 were in Ottawa.
Hamilton, Halton Region, Simcoe Muskoka, Durham Region, Waterloo and Niagara Region also reported new infections in the double digits.
Several regions across Ontario logged fewer than five new cases. Ten of the province's 34 public health units recorded zero new cases of COVID-19 on Friday.
Health Minister Christine Elliott said 41,008 tests were conducted in the last-recorded 24-hour period.
There are 41,063 tests that current remain under investigation in the province.
