Provincial health officials are reporting more than 2,400 new COVID-19 cases today, pushing the seven-day average of daily infections above 2,300 for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

Ontario logged 2,408 new cases of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus today, up from the 2,202 confirmed on Tuesday but lower than the record 2,432 cases on Dec. 16.

With 56,660 tests processed over the last 24 hours, the per cent positivity rate today is 4.8 per cent, down slightly from 5.1 per cent at this point last week.

There has been a notable spike in the seven-day average of new cases week-over-week. The rolling seven-day average of daily infections last Wednesday was 1,962 and just one week later, that number has now climbed to a record 2,304.

Forty-one more virus-related deaths were confirmed today, including 16 residents of long-term care homes. There are now 173 active outbreaks of COVID-19 in Ontario long-term care homes, 38 more outbreaks than the number recorded one week ago.

According to the latest data released by the province, virus-related hospitalizations remain just above 1,000 and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions are now at 275, up from 256 last week. On Tuesday, Critical Care Services Ontario put the number of COVID-19 related ICU admissions in the province at 285. The province’s modelling table said earlier this week that even in the most optimistic of scenarios, COVID-19 ICU admissions will surpass 300 before the New Year, resulting in the cancellation of more vital surgeries and a reduction in access to necessary care.

The number of active infections in Ontario also continues to rise. There are now 19,424 active cases of COVID-19 in Ontario, up from 17,084 last Wednesday.

Of the new cases reported today, 629 are in Toronto, 448 are in Peel Region, 234 are in Windsor-Essex, 190 are in York Region, and 150 are in Hamilton.

On Wednesday, Mayor John Tory reiterated his call for people to make "sacrifices" this Christmas and avoid gathering indoors with people from other households.

"I'm very hopeful about the city going forward and the vaccination gives us hope. I think if people follow the rules of the lockdown over Christmas, we can have hope in that regard," the mayor told CP24 on Wednesday morning.

The Ford government announced Monday that a provincewide lockdown will be implemented at 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 26, forcing all non-essential businesses in every region of Ontario to switch to curbside pickup and delivery only.

The lockdown will be in effect for at least 28 days in southern parts of the province and 14 days in northern regions.

The provincial government has also told residents across Ontario to only celebrate the holidays in person with members of their own household in an effort to curb rising case numbers and protect the health-care system. Tory said as of this morning, there are 85 people infected with COVID-19 in intensive care units at Toronto hospitals and 52 who are intubated.

"You are reminded just by looking at those numbers every day that there are people who are very sick, there are people who have of course passed away. Their families will spend Christmas without a loved one," he said. "I think we just have to work together to get through this."

New cases in the GTHA:

Toronto: 629

Peel Region: 448

York Region: 190

Hamilton: 150

Durham Region: 136

Halton Region: 88