Ontario reports jump in new COVID-19 infections but case numbers remain below 200
COVID-19 infections in Ontario jumped Thursday but the total number of cases reported remains under 200.
Health officials logged 185 new cases and seven additional deaths linked to the disease in the last 24 hours.
A day earlier, the province logged 135 new cases of the novel coronavirus.
Ontario’s daily COVID-19 cases count has remained below 200 for two weeks straight.
Labs processed 19,599 tests on Wednesday which produced a positivity rate of 0.9 per cent, according to the Ministry of Health.
Since the pandemic began, the province has seen 548,794 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19. That number includes 9,307 deaths and 538,124 recoveries.
The seven-day average for the number of cases reported is 155. Last Thursday, that number was 154.
Where are the new COVID-19 cases?
Most of the cases reported by the province Thursday were found in Grey Bruce (22), Toronto (18), and Hamilton (17).
Other areas with case counts in the double digits include Waterloo (13), Peel Region (13), York Region (11), Durham Region (11), Halton Region (10), and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (10).
Ontario is currently operating in Step 3 of its reopening plan. The province will remain in this stage for at least 21 days from July 16 before the vast majority of public health restrictions are lifted.
Another 234 cases of COVID-19 variants of concern reported
Labs confirmed 234 more cases of COVID-19 variants of concern in Ontario on Thursday.
At least 99 of those cases are of the Alpha variant B.1.1.7. The strain’s case total sits at 145,021.
Sixty-nine cases were of the Gamma variant P.1. There are 5,096 confirmed cases in Ontario.
Sixty-one cases of the Delta variant B.1.617.2 were also reported. The total number of Delta variant infections is now 3,754.
Officials also confirmed five other cases of the Beta variant B.1.351, bringing the case total to 1,479.
Update on COVID-19 vaccinations
Over the province’s eight-month vaccination campaign, 18,604,169 needles have gone into arms across Ontario.
That number includes 8,272,485 residents who have received both doses and are considered to be fully vaccinated.
The province say that 125,166 shots were administered on Wednesday.
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
Live updates: What star witness in Trump hush money case has said on the stand so far
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial took the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
Wildfire smoke drifts across Canada, over parts of U.S., prompting air quality advisories
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
When you have a moment's notice to evacuate, what do you take?
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
'A great victory for the industry': Taxi drivers celebrate ruling that found City of Ottawa negligent in allowing Uber to operate
An Ontario Superior Court judge has ruled that the City of Ottawa was negligent in its enforcement of the city's taxi bylaw when it allowed Uber to begin operating in 2014, harming the city's established taxi industry.
'Judge Judy' Sheindlin sues for defamation over National Enquirer, InTouch Weekly stories
'Judge Judy' Sheindlin sued the parent company of the National Enquirer and InTouch Weekly on Monday for a story that she said falsely claimed that she was trying to help the Menendez brothers get a retrial after they were convicted of murdering their parents.
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.’s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease’s progression.
New York City FC coach repeats denial of allegations he punched a Toronto FC player
New York City FC coach Nick Cushing has repeated his denial of allegations that he punched a Toronto FC player, saying he is shocked and upset at the claim.