TORONTO -- Ontario has reported another dip in the number of new COVID-19 cases, recording the lowest number of new infections in nearly 12 weeks.

Health officials reported 173 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. It is the lowest number since March 28, when 150 new infections were reported. 

This represents a 0.5 per cent increase since Wednesday when 190 cases were confirmed, which Ontario’s Health Minister Christine Elliott described as a “slight uptick.”

As well, only three deaths occurred as a result of the novel coronavirus in the last 24-hour period, the lowest daily death toll in months. At least 2,553 people have died of COVID-19 in Ontario since the onset of the pandemic. 

Thursday's report brings the total number of lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province to 32,917 with 28,004 cases considered to be resolved  by the ministry of health. 

"With 220 more resolved, we continue to see a persistent decline in the number of active cases, with 1,455 fewer active cases since last Tuesday," Elliott said in a tweet published Thursday morning.

Where are new cases of COVID-19 being reported?

Most of the new infections were reported in Toronto (70 cases) and Peel Region (27 cases), both of which remain in Stage 1 of the province's plan to reopen.

Windsor-Essex confirmed eight new cases on Thursday, down from the 22 reported a day earlier, though that region also remains in Stage 1.

There were 14 new infections reported in York Region, which is set to move to Stage 2 of the reopening plan on Friday.

Of the province's 34 public health units (PHU), most reported fewer than five new cases each with 16 PHUs reporting no cases at all.

Testing for COVID-19 remains high, hospitalizations decline

The province completed 25,278 tests for COVID-19 since Wednesday. The number of daily tests performed has remained above 20,000 in recent days, with more than one million tests completed overall.

There are 24,887 tests currently under investigation, however. 

As of Thursday, there are 351 people in hospital with the virus, a number that continues to decrease. Of those 351 patients, 84 are being treated in an intensive care unit, 60 of which are breathing with the assistance of a ventilator.  

Quick facts on all COVID-19 patients in Ontario:

  • To date, 17,770 patients in the province are female and 14,875 are male
  • 1,459 patients are 19 years of age or younger
  • 9,277 patients are between the ages of 20 and 39
  • 10,075 patients are between the ages of 40 and 59
  • 6,365 patients are between the ages of 60 and 79
  • 5,729 patients are 80 years of age or older