Ontario reports drop in COVID-19 cases, logs fewer than 150 new infections
Ontario health officials are reporting nearly 140 new cases of COVID-19 and 11 more deaths due to the disease.
The province confirmed 139 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday. Ontario has been reporting fewer than 200 new cases daily for the past three days.
Ontario’s rolling seven-day average now stands at 198, up from 160 at this point last week.
With 17,115 tests processed in the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Health says the positivity rate in the province stands at 1.2 per cent.
The province recorded 11 new deaths on Wednesday, bringing the total death tally in the province to 9,360.
Seven of the deaths reported today occurred between December 2020 and February 2021, the Ministry of Health said. They are being reported as part of a data catch-up.
There are at least 108 patients in intensive care in Ontario hospitals and 76 are breathing with the assistance of a ventilator.
The province deemed 151 more cases of the disease to be resolved as of Wednesday, bringing Ontario’s number of recovered patients up to 540,075.
Today’s report brings the total number of lab-confirmed cases in Ontario to 551,125, including deaths and recoveries.
WHERE ARE THE COVID-19 CASES IN ONTARIO
In the Greater Toronto Area, officials reported 26 new cases in Toronto, 18 new cases in Peel Region, 15 new cases in York Region, 11 in Durham Region and zero in Halton Region.
Officials also reported 19 new cases in Waterloo region, 12 new cases in Hamilton and 10 new cases in Windsor. All other regions outside of the GTA reported fewer than 10 new cases of the disease.
Ontario is currently in Step 3 of its reopening plan. The province is operating under the loosest set of public health restrictions observed in months. In order to move to a complete reopening, the province has set certain vaccination targets.
VARIANTS OF CONCERN IN ONTARIO UPDATE
The province detected several more cases of variants of concern on Wednesday. Officials are analyzing cases on an ongoing basis to detect mutations and variants of concerns.
The province confirmed an additional two new cases of Alpha B.1.1.7 on Wednesday. The total case count for the strain now stands at 145,538.
Officials identified no new cases of the Beta B.1.351 variant and so the total case count in the province remains at 1,493.
In addition, the province also found one new case of the Gamma P.1 variant, which brings its total number of cases to 5,164.
As for the Delta variant, also known as the B.1.617 variant, officials reported 25 new cases of the strain, which brings the total number in the province to 4,909.
MORE THAN 9.1M PEOPLE FULLY VACCINATED IN ONTARIO
The province reports that 9,143,402 people in Ontario have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and are now considered fully vaccinated against the disease.
In the last 24-hour period, officials said 60,094 doses of the vaccine were administered to Ontario residents.
Just over 19.6 million vaccine doses have been administered in the province since the rollout began last year.
Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore told reporters at a news conference Tuesday that vaccines are proving effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19 in Ontario.
He says since Dec. 14, 2020, unvaccinated cases of COVID-19 accounted for 95.4 per cent of COVID-19 cases, with breakthrough cases accounting for 0.5 per cent.
In the last month, Kieran added that people who were unvaccinated were approximately eight times more likely to be infected with COVID-19 compared to fully vaccinated people.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
NEW Life got in the way of one woman's reunion with her father, but a DNA test gained her a family
Anne Marie Cavner was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father, but then life dealt her a blow. From an unexpected loss to a host of new relationships, a DNA test changed her life, and she doesn't regret a thing.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Quebec farmers have been protesting since December. Is anyone listening?
Upset about high interest rates, growing paperwork and heavy regulatory burdens, protesting farmers have become a familiar sight across Quebec since December.
'Catch-and-kill' strategy to be a focus as testimony resumes in Trump hush money case
A veteran tabloid publisher was expected to return to the witness stand Tuesday in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial.
Prince William and wife Kate thank public for birthday messages for son Louis
Prince William and his wife Kate thanked the public for their messages which had been sent to mark the sixth birthday of their youngest son Louis on Tuesday.
Quebec Health Department reports 28 cases of eye damage linked to solar eclipse
Quebec's Health Department says it has received 28 reports of eye damage related to the April 8 total solar eclipse that passed over southern parts of the province.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.