Ontario reported 525 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday and 59 additional deaths, bringing the provincial total to 15,381 cases.
The reported death toll has risen to 951.
Meanwhile, 8,964 people have recovered from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, which is 58.3 per cent of cases.
Tuesday’s report marks a 3.5 per cent increase in cases compared to the day prior (Monday’s report saw 424 new cases). It also marks the highest single-day increase in deaths so far.
The province has completed 253,040 tests so far for the virus. This is up 10,852 tests from the previous day. Ontario has significantly increased testing capacity since mid-April with a target of 14,000 tests a day by April 29.
On Monday, the Ontario government released a gradual plan, with a series of stages, for reopening the economy which Premier Doug Ford called a “roadmap” not a “calendar” as it did not include any dates for the phases.
Dr. David Williams, the province’s chief medical officer of health, said it appears the province has a “ways to go” before reopening can begin, noting the daily case increases have still recently been well above 400.
The government laid out a series of requirements for determining when it is time to ease public health measures. They include:
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- A consistent two-to-four week decrease in the number of new daily cases.
- A decrease in the rate of cases that cannot be traced to a source.
- A decrease in the number of new COVID-19 cases in hospitals.
Williams said a slight diversion from the fulfillment of one of those requirements — like a single-day increase in cases, for instance — won’t necessarily throw off a reopening plan.
Ontario has 957 patients (up by 12) hospitalized due to COVID-19, with 239 patients in an intensive care unit (down by two) and 187 patients in ICUs on a ventilator (down by four).
According to the Ministry of Long-Term Care, there have been 705 deaths reported among residents and patients in long-term care homes across Ontario, which is up by 34 deaths, and there are 154 outbreaks.
The ministry also indicated there are 2,491 confirmed cases among long-term care residents and 1,205 cases among staff.
Ontario officials have said there may be a discrepancy between overall deaths and deaths at long-term care homes due to how the province’s health database system, called iPHIS, is tracking data and how the Ministry of Long-Term Care is tracking data.
Health-care workers in Ontario account for 2,144 of the total reported cases, which is 13.9 per cent of the infected population.
Greater Toronto Area public health units account for 59.4 per cent of all cases in the province.
Here is a breakdown of Ontario cases by gender and age:
- 6,392 people are male (41.6 per cent)
- 8,848 people are female (57.5 per cent)
- 346 people are 19 and under (2.2 per cent)
- 3,521 people are 20 to 39 (22.9 per cent)
- 4,644 people are 40 to 59 (30.2 per cent)
- 3,420 people are 60 to 79 (22.2 per cent)
- 3,443 people are 80 and over (22.4 per cent)
There are 6,282 people currently under investigation awaiting test results.
The newly reported numbers are valid as of 2 p.m. Monday for Toronto and 4 p.m. for the rest of the province.
— With files from Ryan Rocca.
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