For the first time since March 31, Ontario has reported a daily COVID-19 case increase in the 200s.
Today, Public Health Ontario announced 294 new lab-confirmed cases of the coronavirus. The last time the number was below 300 was March 31, when the total case count in the province was 1,966 cases.
There have now been 20,238 cases reported by the province’s public health agency, and of those 14,772 are recorded as recovered (73 per cent) and 1,634 people have died (8.1 per cent).
In today’s update, the province reported 35 deaths linked to COVID-19, and another 389 recoveries.
Of the 35 deaths reported today, two people between the ages of 40 and 59 have died, 10 people between the ages of 60 and 79 have died, and 23 people over 80 have died.
There are 961 people in hospital, including 195 in intensive care and 140 people on ventilators.
There were 17,618 tests completed in a single day and there are 14,816 tests awaiting results. Ontario has now completed 433,994 COVID-19 tests.
The Ministry of Long-Term Care is reporting 172 outbreaks with 2,727 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in residents, and 1,693 cases in staff. The ministry also stated there have been 1,235 resident deaths as a result of COVID-19 outbreaks. However, only 788 of those are included in the province’s total number of deaths in Ontario.
At the end of last week, Premier Doug Ford announced some non-essential businesses could start to re-open. On Friday garden centres and nurseries were permitted to open for in-store and curbside pick-up. On Saturday, hardware and safety supply stores were allowed to reopen for in-store and curbside pick-up
Tomorrow retail stores with entrances facing the street can offer curbside pickup.
The Ontario Government also announced provincial parks and conservation reserves will reopen this week, some on Monday and the rest on Friday, for day-use only including hiking, walking, bird-watching and biking. Physical distancing measures must remain in place for those using the parks.
In Northern Ontario, the Thunder Bay District Health Unit has the highest number of confirmed cases, with 80. The Porcupine Health Unit, which covers Timmins and the surrounding area, still has the highest rate of confirmed cases per 100,000 population among other health units in Northern Ontario. The rate there is 76.7 per 100,000 people.
According to today's report, which includes data from Jan. 15 to May 9, the number of cases at other Northern Ontario health units, as well as the rate of confirmed cases per 100,000 population are:
- Algoma Public Health - 16 cases, rate of 14 per 100,000 population
- North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit - 18 cases, rate of 13.9 per 100,000 population
- Porcupine Health Unit - 64, rate of 76.7 per 100,000 population
- Public Health Sudbury and Districts - 58 cases, rate of 29.1 per 100,000 population
- Timiskaming Health Unit - 18 cases, rate of 55.1 per 100,000
- Thunder Bay District Health Unit - 80 cases, rate of 53.3 per 100,000 population
- Northwestern Health Unit - 15 cases, rate of 17.1 per 100,000 population
According to the report, in Northeastern Ontario, there have been 174 confirmed cases, and the rate is 31.1 per 100,000 population. In Northwestern Ontario, there have been 95 cases and a rate of 40. The provincial rate per 100,000 population is 136.2
