Ontario reports another drop in new COVID-19 cases with 574 infections logged

TORONTO -

For the fourth day in a row, Ontario is seeing a decrease in the number of new COVID-19 cases reported.

On Tuesday, health officials logged 574 infections after logging 610 cases a day earlier. Over the weekend, Ontario reported 715 and 821 infections on Sunday and Saturday, respectively.

Of the cases reported today, 434 were found in individuals who are not fully vaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status and 140 are in fully vaccinated individuals.

Right now, there are 330 people hospitalized with COVID-19, including 303 patients who are not fully vaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status and 27 are fully vaccinated.

As well, of the 179 people in ICU with COVID-19, at least 170 are not fully vaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status and nine are fully vaccinated.

This brings the seven-day average for the number of cases reported to 710, which represents a drop from the 716 seen a week earlier.

With 23,631 tests processed in the last 24 hours, Ontario’s COVID-19 positivity rate is 2.4 per cent, according to the Ministry of Health.

Eight more deaths related to COVID-19 were also included in Tuesday’s report, pushing the province’s death toll to 9,663.

The total number of lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ontario stands at 580,768, including deaths and 564,927 recoveries.

In less than 24 hours, the province’s vaccine certificate program will go in effect, meaning people will need to show proof of vaccination before engaging in non-essential activities like eating indoors at a restaurant, watching a movie at a theatre, or working out at a gym.

Proof of vaccination won’t be required to access essential services like medical care, grocery stores, and basic medical supplies. Moreover, you won't need to show a vaccination certificate when accessing salons and barbershops, places of worship, and retail shopping. 

READ MORE: This is where you need and don't need proof of vaccination in Ontario

Where are the new COVID-19 cases?

The province reported the highest COVID-19 case numbers Tuesday in Toronto (104), Peel Region (80), and Ottawa (58).

Other regions with case numbers in the double digits include York Region (44), Niagara Region (39), Windsor-Essex (34), and Halton Region (31).

At least 293 cases of COVID-19 were documented in schools across Ontario Tuesday. Those cases include 265 infections in students and 22 in staff members. The remaining six cases were not identified by the province.

There are 4,844 schools in Ontario and 593 (12.24 per cent) have a reported case of the disease. Only one school is closed as a result.

Nearly 200 cases of Delta variant confirmed

In the last 24 hours, Ontario labs confirmed 189 additional cases of the COVID-19 variant B.1.617.2.

Since the province began tracking variants of concern in February, 16,944 cases of the Delta variant have been confirmed through genomic sequencing.

No new cases of the Alpha, Beta, or Gamma variant were reported by health officials Tuesday. 

Update on COVID-19 vaccinations

Health Minister Christine Elliott says that nearly 85.2 per cent of eligible Ontarians have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine and 79.2 per cent have two doses and are considered to be fully vaccinated.

In total, 21,434,434 needles have gone into arms across Ontario, including 30,072 shots administered on Monday.