TORONTO -- Ontario has recorded another significant surge in COVID-19 cases, reporting nearly double the number of new infections than yesterday.

Health officials reported 195 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the provincial total to 38,405 confirmed infections.

On Thursday, the province recorded 103 new cases of COVID-19, which came as a relief after Ontario reported 203 new infections on Wednesday, the highest number since last June. 

There were three additional COVID-19-related deaths in the past 24 hour period, bringing the total number of fatalities to 2,758.

There are now 141 patients in Ontario hospitals with COVID-19. Of those 141 patients, 31 are being treated in an intensive care unit, 20 of which are breathing with the assistance of a ventilator.

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 739 were between the ages of 60 and 79.

Where are the new COVID-19 cases?

According to Friday's epidemiology report, released by the province, these are the regions reporting the most new cases:

  • Windsor-Essex - 57 cases
  • Toronto - 31 cases
  • Ottawa - 27 cases
  • Peel Region - 18 cases 
  • Chatham-Kent Public Health - 13 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.

More than 65 per cent of the new cases are in people under the age of 40.

Of the new cases in Ontario, 49 of them were under the age of 19, 79 of them were between the ages of 20 and 39, and 51 of them were between the ages of 40 and 59. There were 16 cases in people aged 60 and older. 

COVID-19 testing in Ontario

In the last 24 hours, just over 28,809 COVID-19 tests were conducted by officials.

Ontario health officials have conducted more than 1.9 million tests for the disease since the pandemic was declared.

More than 25,550 tests are still under investigation.