Public Health Ontario has reported a record 2,923 new COVID-19 cases today.
The number of active, lab-confirmed cases now, for the first time, exceeds 20,000 cases, and the rate of positive test results continues to hover at some of the highest levels reported during the pandemic with an 8.4 per cent positivity today and a 9.7 per cent rate reported yesterday.
The province reported 20 deaths in today's update, but removed one death reported yesterday (an individual between 20 and 39 years old from the list, resulting in an increase of 19 deaths for the report. Of those, 12 were residents of long-term care homes. Five of the deaths reported were individuals between 60 and 79 years old, and 15 were over the age of 80.
The total number of hospitalizations wasn't included in yesterday's report, so the data reflects the number of people hospitalized since the Dec. 28 report. Over the last two days, 145 people have been hospitalized with COVID and 23 patients have been admitted to intensive care units.
Today's update provided by the province's public health agency today also reported the following:
- 2,237 new recoveries
- 1,177 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Ontario, up from 864 reported yesterday.
- There are 323 COVID patients in intensive care units (up from 304 yesterday) and 204 COVID patients on ventilators (down from 204 yesterday)
- 20,558 current active cases in Ontario, which is up from 19,891 reported yesterday
- The province has reported 39,210 tests have been processed for today's update, resulting in an 8.4 per cent positivity rate. The province's goal is three per cent.
- Of the 2,923 cases reported today, 998 are from Toronto, 441 are from Peel, 408 are from York Region, 69 are from Hamilton, and 65 are from Simcoe-Muskoka.
- Based on case data reported today, the new cases include 386 people under 20, 1,039 people between 20 and 39 years old, 885 people between 40 and 59 years old, 458 people between 60 and 79 years old, and 159 people over the age of 80.
Public Health Ontario has confirmed 178,831 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 153,799 recoveries and 4,474 deaths, of which 2,738 were individuals living in long-term care homes
The cumulative average incidence rate in the province is 1,203.1 cases per 100,000 people in Ontario. The weekly incidence rate in Ontario is 103.7 cases per 100,000 people from Dec. 20 to Dec. 26, which is down by 3.5 per cent compared to Dec. 14-20 when the average weekly incidence rate was 107.5 cases per 100,000 people.
In Northern Ontario, the breakdown of Public Health Ontario data is:
- Algoma Public Health: 65 cases, rate of 56.8 per 100,000 people. There are three known active cases.
- North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit: 126 cases, rate of 97.1 per 100,000 people. There are 18 known active cases.
- Porcupine Health Unit: 128, rate of 153.4 per 100,000 people. The health unit has also reported one probable case. There are nine known active cases.
- Public Health Sudbury and Districts: 266 cases, rate of 133.7 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 267 cases. There are 10 known active cases.
- Timiskaming Health Unit: 65 cases, rate of 198.8 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 70 cases. There are 25 known active cases.
- Northwestern Health Unit: 163 cases, rate of 185.9 per 100,000 people. The health unit has also reported four probable cases. There are 19 known active cases.
- Thunder Bay District Health Unit: 579 cases, rate of 386.1 per 100,000 people. There are 84 known active cases.
The Ontario government has implemented a province-wide shutdown. Details on the shutdown are available on the province's website here.
The province will not be providing COVID-19 updates on Jan. 1. Data will be posted the following day.
