Ontario reports more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases, six additional deaths

Workers prepare to greet passengers at the COVID-19 testing centre in the International Arrivals area at Pearson Airport in Toronto on Tuesday January 26, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

TORONTO — More than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Ontario Monday.

The 1,023 infections mark a decrease from Sunday’s report when 1,062 cases were added. The province logged 1,185 cases on Saturday and 1,258 cases on Friday.

This brings Ontario’s lab-confirmed COVID-19 case total to 301,839, including 284,283 recoveries and 6,986 deaths.

Six of those deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, according to the province.

Ontario’s seven-day average for the number of COVID-19 cases logged is 1,099, up slightly from the 1,044 average a week ago today.

And with 35,015 tests processed in the previous day, the Ministry of Health says that Ontario’s COVID-19 positivity rate stands at 3.1 per cent.

Where are the new COVID-19 cases?

Most of the infections confirmed Monday were found in a handful of regions across Ontario.

The province said that Toronto added 280 new cases, Peel Region added 182 while Ottawa added 72 and Thunder Bay added 55.

Toronto and Peel Region are currently operating under a stay-at-home order, which is set to stay in effect until at least March 8. North Bay-Parry Sound also remains under the same order, though only one new case was documented in that region in the last 24 hours.

Ottawa is placed in the orange “restrict” level of the province’s colour-coded framework, which allows for indoor gatherings and dine-in restaurant service with capacity limits in place.

Meanwhile, Thunder Bay has now moved back into the grey “lockdown” level following the government’s use of its “emergency brake” mechanism due to a rise in cases in the area. Simcoe Muskoka was also subject to the move, though only 39 cases were recorded in the region on Monday.

There are currently 659 people in hospital with COVID-19, though the province says that number is likely an underestimation as some facilities did not submit patient data.

Of those patients in hospital, 280 are being treated in the intensive care unit and 175 are on a ventilator.

Seven more cases of U.K. variant found

Health officials say that the number of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, which was first discovered in the U.K., has grown by seven in the last 24 hours.

The total number of documented B.1.1.7 infections in Ontario now sits at 535.

The number of B.1.351 (South African variant) and P.1 (Brazilian variant) infections remains unchanged at 27 and 3, respectively.

Update on COVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario

At least 263,214 people are considered to be fully vaccinated by the province after receiving both their first and second shots.

So far, the province says it has administered 704,695 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine since needles began going into arms last December.

Of those shots, 17,424 were administered yesterday.