Ontario reports highest daily COVID-19 case count since pandemic began with more than 5,700 new infections

Ontario has logged more than 5,700 new COVID-19 cases for the first time since the pandemic began, breaking a record for the highest number of infections reported in a day.

Health officials reported 5,790 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Thursday. The highest daily number of infections previously reported was 4,812 cases on April 16.

Today's infection count comes after the province confirmed 3,301 new cases on Saturday, 4,177 new cases on Sunday, 3,783 new cases on Monday and 3,453 new cases on Tuesday and 4,383 new cases on Wednesday.

Ontario's rolling seven-day average has soared to 4,001, up from 1,674 at this point last week.

With 68,191 tests processed in the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Health says the province's positivity rate rose on Thursday to 16 per cent, which marks the highest rate ever.

Of the new infections reported today, 1,398 cases involved people who are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or their vaccination status is unknown. The remaining 4,392 infections involved people who are fully vaccinated.

Health experts have said that the number of infections in fully vaccinated individuals will rise as more people get the vaccine.

The province recorded seven new deaths on Thursday, bringing the total death tally in the province to 10,140.

There are currently at least 440 people being treated for COVID-19 in Ontario hospitals. Health Minister Christine Elliott reported that of those patients, 304 are not fully vaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status and 136 are fully vaccinated.

Elliott confirmed that 169 of those patients are in intensive care, including 137 people who are not fully vaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status and 32 people who are fully vaccinated.

The province deemed 1,659 more cases of the disease to be resolved as of Thursday, bringing Ontario's number of recovered patients up to 624,801.

Today's report brings the total number of lab-confirmed cases in Ontario to 667,353, including deaths and recoveries.

WHERE ARE THE NEW COVID-19 CASES IN ONTARIO?

In the Greater Toronto Area, officials reported 1,527 new cases in Toronto, the highest case total reported by the city so far, 491 new cases in Peel Region, 470 new cases in York Region, 334 new cases in Durham Region and 259 new cases in Halton Region.

Officials reported 486 new cases in Ottawa, 277 new cases in Hamilton, 253 new cases in Middlesex-London, 213 new cases in Simcoe-Muskoka, 125 new cases in Waterloo region, 115 new cases in Niagara Region, 122 new cases in the Wellington-Dufferin Guelph area and 103 new cases in Windsor-Essex.

All other regions reported fewer than 100 new cases on Thursday.

According to the province’s epidemiology report, of the 5,790 new infections reported on Thursday, 637 cases were identified in children under the age of 12.

The province also recorded 560 cases in youth between the ages of 12 and 19 and another 2,662 cases in people between the ages of 20 and 39.

As well, officials found 1,397 cases in people between the ages of 40 and 59, 464 cases in people between the ages of 60 and 79 and 69 cases in people over the age of 80.

An additional 91 infections were reported in schools across the province. Those cases involve 71 students and 20 staff members. 

At least 1,151 of the province’s 4,844 schools have a confirmed case of COVID-19 and 21 facilities are closed as a result.