The number of new cases of COVID-19 in Ontario surpassed 200 for the first time in three weeks as most the province prepares to enter the final stage of the province’s reopening plan later this week.
Ontario reported 203 new cases of the virus today, up from the 135 confirmed one day prior.
This is the first time the province has exceeded 200 new cases of COVID-19 since June 29, when 257 new infections were confirmed in Ontario.
Case growth has been steadily declining since that date, dropping to as low as 102 new infections last Wednesday.
One notable increase was reported in Ottawa, where an additional 43 cases were confirmed over the past 24 hours.
While Toronto, Peel, and Windsor-Essex all remain in Stage 2, it should be noted that Ottawa was given the green light to advance to Stage 3 last Friday, a move which allows additional businesses to reopen and indoor dining to resume in the region.
Peel Region reported 57 new cases in the most recent epidemiological report but Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie said Tuesday that the uptick was a “misrepresentation” of the numbers.
“We are migrating to a new data collection system that will mimic the province’s and there was a bit of a backlog,” she said at a news conference alongside Premier Doug Ford on Tuesday afternoon.
She noted that Peel Region only saw 22 new cases today, four of which were in Mississauga.
“I am delighted that we have flattened the curve here in Mississauga. I’ve reported two days with zero increases in fact. There are some household transmission cases in certain pockets of our region and that will prevent us of course from moving to phase 3 for another week,” Crombie said.
“Premier I am very hopeful that you will move Peel Region and the City of Toronto into Phase 3 next week.”
An additional 30 cases were reported in Toronto today and 24 new infections were confirmed in Windsor-Essex.
While one day of data, todays increase is concerning, Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott said in a tweet published on Tuesday morning.
Elliott noted that more than 50 per cent of all new cases involve people ages 39 and under (116).
Ontarians of all ages need to continue to adhere to public health guidelines: maintain only one social circle of 10 people, physically distance with anyone outside of it and wear a face covering when doing so is a challenge, she said.
With only 92 new resolved cases reported over the past 24 hours, new cases have outpaced recoveries for the fifth consecutive day, bringing the total number of active case in the province up to 1,586.
While the province processed nearly 23,000 tests yesterday, a slight increase from the 20,913 tests completed one day prior, the case positivity rate now stands at 0.9 per cent, up from 0.64.
Todays increase in new cases also pushed the rolling five-day average of new infections to 156, up from 137 one day prior.
Only one more death was reported today, bringing the total number of centrally-confirmed virus-related deaths in Ontario to 2,753.
The number of hospitalizations has seen some minor fluctuation in recent weeks with 120 now receiving care in Ontario hospitals.
There are now 36 patients in intensive care units and of those, 23 are on ventilators.
No new outbreaks were reported in long-term care homes over the past 24 hours.
Commenting on today’s numbers, the premier urged young people to “rein it in” when it comes to partying.
“I just ask people, just hold off on these parties. I don’t know why everyone wants to party so badly but enough,” Ford said.
“The vast majority… of all these young folks are following the protocols, procedures and a couple per cent are going a little hog wild. Guys you got to rein it in. Simple as that because again you may get through it but maybe your grandparents won’t get through it. So that’s the way you got to think about it.”
New cases in GTA:
Peel Region: 57
Toronto: 30
York: 10
Durham: 4
Halton: 2read more
New COVID-19 cases surpass 200 in Ontario for first time in 3 weeks – CP24 Toronto’s Breaking News
