Ontario reports fewer than 300 COVID-19 cases for third day straight, surpasses new vaccine milestone
Ontario has reported fewer than 300 new COVID-19 cases for the third day in a row as the province reaches a new vaccination milestone.
Health officials logged 255 infections on Wednesday, a number not seen since Sept. 15 when 251 cases were reported.
The new cases mark a significant decrease from the 296 infections reported Tuesday and the 270 infections on Monday.
The seven-day rolling average of daily COVID-19 cases now stands at about 316. A week ago that number was 443.
According to the province’s daily epidemiology report, Toronto and Waterloo logged the most new COVID-19 cases Wednesday with 57 and 53 infections respectively.
Other municipalities with case counts in the double digits include Peel Region (25), North Bay Parry Sound District (23), Ottawa (14), Niagara (11), and York Region (10).
With just over 27,360 COVID-19 tests processed in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health says the province’s positivity rate is now 1.2 per cent.
Another 11 deaths related to the disease were reported on Wednesday, bringing the death tally related to the virus to 9,093.
According to data from local public health units and hospitals, there are at least 816 people being treated for COVID-19 in Ontario hospitals.
At the same time, there are 305 people in intensive case, with 190 people breathing with the assistance of a ventilator according to the Ministry of Health.
The total number of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ontario now stands at 543,019, including deaths and recoveries.
The province has identified 56 new Delta variant cases in lab-confirmed COVID-19 tests, bringing the total to 975.
In total, officials have identified 142,647 cases of the Alpha variant, 1,154 cases of the Beta variant and 4,263 cases of the Gamma variant.
MORE THAN 25% OF ONTARIANS FULLY VACCINATED
On Wednesday, Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott said on social media that the province has reached a new milestone with more than a quarter of adults over the age of 18 fully vaccinated with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
According to provincial data, more than 3.3 million people have received two doses of a vaccine. In the last 24-hour period, the province administered 227,318 doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
Ontario is currently in Step 1 of its reopening plan, which allows for most outdoor activities and patios to resume operation. The province is scheduled to move to Step 2 on July 2, although health officials have said the transition may occur a few days ahead of deadline.
The push for an earlier reopening is due to the declining trends in case counts and hospitalizations, as well as the acceleration of vaccinations in the province. One of the thresholds the government said it had to meet in order to continue to the final step of its reopening plan was for at least 25 per cent of the population to be fully vaccinated.
According to the government, the province has now surpassed that goal.
Background
The numbers used in this story are found in the Ontario Ministry of Health's COVID-19 Daily Epidemiologic Summary. The number of cases for any city or region may differ slightly from what is reported by the province, because local units report figures at different times.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
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.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
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.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.