243 new coronavirus cases, 24 deaths in Ontario as total cases reach 30,860

Ontario reported 243 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday, bringing the provincial total to 30,860.

The death toll has risen to 2,450, as 24 more deaths were reported.

Meanwhile, 24,492 people have recovered from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, which is 79 per cent of cases.

Ontario has completed 866,889 tests so far for the virus. This is up 15,357 tests from the previous day, which fell short of the testing capacity of more than 20,000 tests a day, according to the province.

Over the weekend, a delay in reporting cases had increased daily case numbers for Saturday and Sunday into the 400s. Monday’s report of new cases has fallen into the 200s as Premier Doug Ford announced details into Ontario’s Stage 2 of reopening.

Monday’s report marks an increase of 0.8 per cent in total cumulative cases. That figure has mostly hovered around the one per cent mark over the past week.

Ontario has 603 patients (down by 32 from the previous day) hospitalized due to COVID-19, with 118 patients in an intensive care unit (up by one) and 81 patients in ICUs on a ventilator (down by 11).

Greater Toronto Area public health units account for 67 per cent of all cases in the province.

Here is a breakdown of Ontario cases by gender and age:

• 13,793 people are male (44.7 per cent).
• 16,813 people are female (54.5 per cent).
• 1,243 people are 19 and under (4 per cent).
• 8,457 people are 20 to 39 (27.4 per cent).
• 9,472 people are 40 to 59 (30.7 per cent).
• 6,066 people are 60 to 79 (19.7 per cent).
• 5,609 people are 80 and over (18.2 per cent).
• 254 cases did not specify male or female, and 13 cases had an unknown age.

There are 4,811 people currently under investigation awaiting test results.

According to the Ministry of Long-Term Care, there have been 1,720 deaths reported among residents and patients in long-term care homes across Ontario, which is an increase of one death, and there are 78 current outbreaks. Seven health-care workers in long-term care homes have died.

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.

The ministry also indicated there are currently 884 confirmed cases among long-term care residents and 665 cases among staff.

Health-care workers in Ontario account for 5,099 of the total reported cases, which is 16.5 per cent of the infected population.

The newly reported numbers are valid as of 2 p.m. Sunday for Toronto and Ottawa public health units, and 4 p.m. for the rest of the province.