Ontario reports 313 new cases of COVID-19, highest number since early June
Ontario is reporting 313 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday — the highest daily case count since early June.
Cases have been on an upswing since mid-August, with numbers above 200 since Sept. 12.
On Sunday, the province confirmed 204 cases. Monday’s number represents a more than 50 per cent increase.
Ontario is reporting 313 cases of <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#COVID19</a> as nearly 30,000 tests were completed. 78% of today’s cases are from three regions, with 112 in Toronto, 71 in Peel and 60 in Ottawa. All other PHUs have fewer than 10 new cases, except for York with 13 cases. 15 PHUs have no new cases.
—@celliottability
According to Health Minister Christine Elliott, 67 per cent of the new cases are among people under age 40.
The bulk of the cases come from three hard-hit areas: Toronto, Peel and Ottawa.
Ontario is also reporting one new death on Monday, and the official pandemic death toll is 2,816. By contacting local public health units for the most up-to-date information, CBC News has counted a total of 2,855 deaths.
Of Ontario’s 44,817 COVID-19 cases, 39,974 are considered resolved.
Cases identified in several schools
The overall increase in cases comes as several cases have popped up in Ontario schools.
In Durham Region, one person tested positive after spending time inside Maple Ridge Public School.
“The individual is asymptomatic, wore a mask while in the building and physically distanced from others while at school,” wrote Maple Ridge principal Jonathan Ross in a letter to parents.
Peel District School Board has also seen a case, at Louise Arbour Secondary School.
The Halton District School Board posted on Sunday that someone at Brant Hills Public School has the virus. On Monday, the board confirmed that the infected person is a student.
A case has also come to light at an elementary school in Haldimand County.
Ford to face questions at Queen’s Park
Worry had already been mounting about Ontario’s increasing case numbers, with a senior provincial official telling CBC News that there is “a growing sense of concern” in the government and among public health leaders.
The Ontario legislature sits Monday for the first time since June 21, giving opposition parties the chance to question Premier Doug Ford’s approach to the pandemic.
Ford is also set to give his regular daily press conference at 1 p.m. ET today. You can watch that press conference live in this story.
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