Ontario has reported its lowest number of new cases of COVID-19 in more than a month, even as it conducted a record number of tests.
The Ministry of Health says that there were 346 new cases of the virus confirmed on Friday. That is the lowest number since 309 new cases were reported on April 6.
Encouragingly, the drop in positive cases also comes amid a rise in testing. The province completed 19,227 tests on Friday, representing an increase of nearly 3,000 tests compared to the previous day.
That would translate into a positive rate of just 1.8 per cent.
It is a positive sign, especially on the heels of a recent spike in cases that prompted Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams to question whether Ontarians were doing enough to limit the spread of the virus.
After 477 new cases were confirmed on Thursday, the highest number in nearly a week, he said that it was “perplexing” to him why the province wasn’t doing better at this point.
“These certainly are very encouraging signs,” Health Minister Christine Elliott said of the latest data on Saturday. “We need to see these numbers keep coming down as we gradually open more and more parts of our economy."
59 more deaths
While the number of new cases of COVID-19 do appear to be trending downwards after hitting a high of 640 on April 25, the death toll continues to increase.
The ministry is reporting another 59 deaths in people who had contracted the virus today, bringing the tally so far to 1,599.
Hospitalizations, meanwhile, do appear to be trending downwards after surging past the 1,000 mark earlier this week.
The latest data suggests that there are a dozen fewer people hospitalized (1,016) than one day prior and only 203 of those people are currently taking up intensive care beds.
That number has steadily declined in recent weeks after reaching a high of 264 on April 9.
“We must keep fighting. We must keep going. You must support each other through these difficult times. Believe me, my friends, there’s a light at the end of this dark tunnel,” Premier Doug Ford told reporters on Friday, while warning that there could still be some “dark days ahead.”
Virus continues to spread in long-term care homes
While the transmission of the virus appears to be on the wane in the community, it continues to spread within the province’s long-terms are homes, which account for more than three-quarters of all COVID-19-related deaths.
They latest data indicates that there are now 237 outbreaks at long-term care homes (up three) with those outbreaks having resulted in 2,898 confirmed cases among residents and 1,515 confirmed cases among staff.
There are now 19,944 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, including deaths and recoveries.
Other highlights from the data:
- There are now 3,291 confirmed cases among healthcare workers, accounting for more than 16 per cent of all cases
- The total number of people who have been hospitalized so far now stands at 2,487, accounting for 12.5 per cent of all cases
- More than six out of ten cases (61.5 per cent) have been reported by Greater Toronto Area public health units
- Only 7.2 per cent of all cases are travel-related now. More than 36 per cent are the result of community transmission while the information remains pending for another 34 per cent.
- More than 70 per cent of all cases are now considered recovered (14,383)
Anti-COVID-19 protesters return to Queen’s Park
Those protesting Ontario’s COVID-19 emergency measures returned to Queen’s Park on Saturday for the third time in as many weeks.
Some 100 people attended the event, a clear violation of the province’s emergency order which prohibits gatherings of more than five people.
The protesters, which premier Ford has previously described as “yahoos”, were seen in close proximity to one another and carrying signs that included phrases like “live free or die”, “end the corruption” and “God reigns supreme” among others.
The fine for not keeping at least two metres apart from another person (that you don’t live with) is set at $880 in Toronto, though it’s unclear if any such tickets have been issued.
Toronto police say they are aware of the situation and say that officers will be on scene to assist with physical distancing.
