Ontario reports nearly 350 new cases of COVID-19, 13 additional deaths

A sign encouraging vaccination is seen at the doors of a pub as staff watch patrons arrive, in Ottawa on the first day of Ontario's first phase of re-opening amidst the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, on Friday, June 11, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

TORONTO — Ontario reported 346 more COVID-19 cases and 13 additional deaths on Saturday.

As a result, the seven-day rolling average of new cases fell to 291, compared to 390 seven days ago.

Provincial labs processed more than 25,626 test specimens, generating a positivity rate of at least 1.1 per cent.

The number of known active cases across Ontario fell to 2,729.

A total of 9,114 people have died of COVID-19 since March 2020.

The province says 532,074 people have recovered.

Toronto reported 64 new cases on Thursday, 39 in Waterloo, 34 in Peel Region, 32 in Grey Bruce and 24 in the Porcupine Health.

The Ministry of Health said there were a total of 273 people in hospital due to COVID-19 across Ontario.

Update on COVID-19 variants of concern

Labs found 115 additional cases of the Alpha variant, B.1.1.7, bringing the case total to 143,150.

Another 46 cases of the Delta variant, B.1.617.2, were also found, pushing its case total to 1,126.

There were 34 other cases of the Beta variant, B.1.351, reported, which brings the case total for the strain to 1,195.

115 new cases of the Gamma variant, P.1, were recorded Friday and the case total remains unchanged at 4,385.

Record number of vaccinations administered

The province said it administered a record 256,260 doses of COVID-19 vaccine on Friday.

Throughout Ontario’s seven-month vaccination campaign, 13,824,469 needles have gone into arms, including 3.9 million people who have received both shots and are considered to be fully vaccinated.