Ontario reports small uptick in new COVID-19 cases after 16-week low

Health officials reported 111 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Thursday. (The Canadian Press)

TORONTO — Ontario is reporting a very small increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases after the province hit a 16-week low on Wednesday.

Health officials reported 111 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the provincial total to 37,163 infections.

Ontario also recorded five new COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the total number of fatalities to 2,737.

"With 141 more resolved, there are 30 fewer active cases in Ontario," Health Minister Christine Elliott said on Thursday. “The number of hospitalizations, ICU admissions and vented patients have all declined.”

"Locally, 30 of Ontario’s 34 public health units are reporting five or fewer cases, with 19 of them reporting no new cases."

On Wednesday, health officials confirmed 102 new cases of COVID-19, which was the lowest number of new infections since March 25.

Where are the new cases?

According to Thursday's epidemiology report, 25 of the new cases were found in Peel Region, 10 were found in York Region, 30 were found in Toronto, 15 were found in Ottawa and 14 were found in Windsor-Essex, a region that has grappled with outbreaks among migrant workers.

These regions have all been held back from advancing to Stage 3 of the province’s reopening plan because of their case numbers.

Of the new cases in Ontario, 14 of them were under the age of 19, 64 of them were between the ages of 20 and 39, and 19 of them were between the ages of 40 and 59. There were 13 cases in people between the age of 60 and 79.

Fortunately, there were no new cases on Thursday in people over the age of 80.

The majority of total deaths to date have been reported in people over the age of 70. One person, under the age of 19, who had COVID-19 died in Ontario, but it is not clear if the death was caused by the disease or other health issues.

Eleven patients who died were between the ages of 20 and 39, while 113 were between the ages of 40 and 59 and 729 were between the ages of 60 and 79.

As of Wednesday, there were 107 people in the hospital due to COVID-19. Twenty-six of those patients are in the intensive care unit and 20 of them are breathing with the assistance of ventilators.

COVID-19 testing in Ontario

In the last 24 hours, just over 26,492 COVID-19 tests were conducted by officials.

Ontario health officials have conducted more than 1.75 million tests for the disease since the pandemic was declared.

More than 25,297 tests are still under investigation.