Ontario records spike in COVID-19 cases with nearly 1,200 new infections

Ontario is reporting the highest number of new COVID-19 cases since May with nearly 1,200 new infections.

Health officials recorded 1,184 new COVID-19 cases in Ontario on Sunday, which is the highest number in a single day since May 28 when 1,273 infections were added.

Ontario did not report any new COVID-19-related deaths in the past 24-hour period. 

The province's rolling seven-day average of COVID-19 cases now stands at 926, up from 760 at this point last week.

Health officials have warned for weeks that cases would increase in the winter months as more people gather indoors. 

Chief Medical Officer of Heath Dr. Kieran Moore said in November all modelling predicts a slow and steady increase in cases through January and February.  

With 31,735 tests processed in the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Health says the positivity rate in the province stands at about 3.2 per cent.

Toronto reported the most new cases in the province on Sunday with 152 new infections, followed by Simcoe-Muskoka at 96, York Region with 88, WIndsor-Essex with 86, Peel Region with 81, and Ottawa with 54.

There are currently 164 people are hospitalized in intensive care with COVID-19 in Ontario. 

The vast majority of patients being treated in intensive care for COVID-19 are not fully vaccinated.

Of the cases on Sunday, 557 are in fully vaccinated people, 536 in unvaccinated people, 22 have received one dose and 69 have an unknown vaccination status.

"Individuals who are not fully vaccinated represent 23.4 per cent of Ontario's total population and amount to 579 of Ontario's 1,184 new reported cases," Health Minister Christine Elliott said on Twitter Sunday.