Ontario reports fewer than 700 new COVID-19 cases for third straight day, 7-day average continues to drop

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TORONTO — For the third day in a row Ontario has reported fewer than 700 new COVID-19 infections as the seven-day average of daily cases continues to drop.

Health officials logged 613 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, marking a slight decrease from the 654 cases reported on Sunday, the 640 cases on Saturday and the 727 cases on Friday.

Despite the jump above the 700 mark on Friday, the province’s seven-day average of daily COVID-19 infections continues to drop. As of Monday, the average is 621.

Last week that number was 710.

No new deaths were reported on Monday.

Health Minister Christine Elliott said Monday that of the new infections, 454 people were either not fully vaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status.

With just over 22,600 COVID-19 tests processed in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health says the province’s positivity rate is now about two per cent.

Of the at least 184 patients receiving treatment for COVID-19 in intensive care, 130 are breathing with the assistance of a ventilator.

Vaccination data is not available for hospitalizations on Monday due to a lack of reporting over the weekend.

Experts are attributing the flattening of the curve to Ontario’s public health measures. Throughout the summer, the province’s top doctor warned that Ontario could see a surge in COVID-19 cases in the fall after schools resume and more businesses reopen.

While it’s still early, the province does not appear to be seeing such a surge.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said last week that he has seen modelling in which there is a significant rise in cases in January and February.

“As we see the virus slowing downing and not able to impact our health sector … I think we’ll slowly pull back on all public health measures over time. But we'll do it in a stepped manner,” he said last week.

Since the pandemic began, Ontario has confirmed 584,541 cases of COVID-19, including 9,704 deaths and 569,211 recoveries.

WHERE ARE THE NEW COVID-19 CASES?

The majority of Monday’s infections were found in the Greater Toronto Area. There were 117 cases in Toronto, 70 in Peel Region and 48 in York Region.

Windsor-Essex reported 45 cases, Ottawa logged 41 cases and Hamilton recorded 46 cases.

Other municipalities reporting more than 20 new infections include Brant (26), Wellington-Guelph-Dufferin (26), Durham (22), and Waterloo (22).

The province also reported an additional 174 school-related cases, with 145 of those infections among students.

A school in Courtice, Ont. has closed after 11 cases were confirmed and an outbreak was declared.

Twenty-eight cases were reported in child-care settings.

VACCINATIONS IN ONTARIO

In the last 24-hour period, the province administered 20,454 doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

More than 10.4 million people have received two shots and are considered fully vaccinated.

On Sept. 22, the Ontario government made it mandatory to be fully vaccinated in order to access certain non-essential services like indoor dining, gyms and movie theatres.