Ontario reports lowest daily case count since mid-September with 270 new infections

TORONTO -

Ontario is reporting its lowest case count since Sept. 15, with 270 new infections logged.

It’s been a week since the province recorded a daily case count under the 300 mark. Last Monday, health officials reported 296 cases of the novel coronavirus. Since then, Ontario has reported between 318 and 384 cases a day.

The seven-day rolling average of daily COVID-19 cases in Ontario now stands at 332. The previous week that number was 478.

Ontario also recorded another three deaths related to the disease, bringing the total death tally in the province to 9,022.

Most of the new COVID-19 cases are found in Peel Region (42), Toronto (47) and Waterloo (44).

Case counts in the double digits were also reported in the regions of York, Ottawa, Niagara, Durham, and Simcoe-Muskoka.

There are currently 323 COVID-19 patients in intensive care as of Monday, according to health officials.

The total number of hospitalizations as noted in the provincial data on Monday is actually lower than the ICU admissions at 261, which may be due to a delay in patient reporting over the weekend.

With just over 13,800 COVID-19 tests processed in the last 24 hours, the province’s positivity rate sits at about 2.5 per cent, according to the Ministry of Health.

Monday’s new infections bring Ontario’s total number of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases to 542,469, including deaths and recoveries.

MORE THAN 880 CASES OF DELTA VARIANT IN ONTARIO

According to the province’s epidemiology report, another 136 cases of the Delta variant have been identified in Ontario, bringing the total number of lab-confirmed cases to 887.

Another 102 cases of the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7.) were identified in the last 24 hours as well as 24 cases of the Gamma (P.1.) variant.

No new cases of the Beta (B.1.351) variant have been identified.

MORE THAN 2.9 MILLION ONTARIANS FULLY VACCINATED

The province has said that more than 2.9 million people in Ontario have received both shots of a COVID-19 vaccine and are considered immunized.

More than 118,600 doses were administered in the last 24 hours.

On Monday, the Canadian government announced that international travel restrictions will be lifted for Canadians, permanent residents, and certain foreign nationals who have been fully vaccinated. As of July 5, anyone who has received two doses of a vaccine will be able to travel without quarantining.

Only one COVID-19 test will be required.