Another record-high number of COVID-19 cases were logged in Ontario today as the province processed more than 60,000 tests, the highest number of tests conducted in a 24-hour period.
Ontario health officials are reporting 1,983 new infections today, surpassing the previous record of 1,925 set on Dec. 7.
The province also processed a record 62,000 tests yesterday, bringing the provincewide test positivity rate to at least 3.6 per cent, down from 4.4 per cent at this point last week.
The rolling seven-day average of new infections now stands at 1,862, up from 1,768 last week.
Of the new cases confirmed today, 496 are in Toronto, 515 are in Peel Region, and 208 are in York Region.
There are now 16,233 active cases of COVID-19 in Ontario, up from 14,795 one week ago.
Another 35 COVID-19 related deaths have been reported today, a tie for the highest number of deaths confirmed in a single day during the second wave of the pandemic. Twenty-four of those deaths are among residents of Ontario's long-term care homes, where there are now 130 active outbreaks of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Virus-related hospitalizations also continue to rise in Ontario. The province says there are now 829 people infected with COVID-19 receiving treatment in Ontario hospitals, up from 666 at this point last week. The number of patients in intensive care units is now 228 patients, up from 195 last Thursday.
Today’s data comes as the province prepares to release new COVID-19 modelling projections this afternoon.
Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch, who sits on the province’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution task force, said he believes today’s modelling data will be “pretty dire,” particularly for regions in the red and grey zones of the province’s reopening framework.
“Hospital systems are getting pinched. And I know we are talking about amazing news about the vaccine... but we've got to get through December, January, February and things are not looking very rosey,” Bogoch told CP24 on Thursday morning.
He noted that we are on track to see the cancellation of more non-emergency surgeries and elective procedures due to hospital capacity issues.
“Many of the hot spots in Ontario are in a very tricky spot right now from a hospitalization standpoint,” Bogoch said.
Toronto and Peel Region are now more than two weeks in to the 28-day lockdown period imposed by the provincial government last month. Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health has said that today's modelling will give the province greater clarity about whether the public health restrictions have helped to curb case growth in both regions. Officials have not yet said if the lockdown will be extended in the two areas when the 28-day period expires on Dec. 21.
New cases in the GTHA:
Peel Region: 515
Toronto: 496
York Region: 208
Durham Region: 55
Halton Region: 51
Hamilton: 75
