TORONTO –  Worrying surge in Covid-19 cases in Ontario where the highest daily number of new infections in almost a month was recorded today: 636, compared to 508 cases on Saturday and 563 on Friday. The last time Ontario’s daily total exceeded 600 was on October 9th. 

Today’s tally is also nearly double the number of cases reported last Sunday in Ontario, when 340 new reports were reported. The seven-day moving average of infections therefore continues to rise in the province, reaching 468 cases, compared to 349 just a week ago. In addition, with 27,146 tests processed in the last 24 hours, officials report a provincial-level positivity rate of 2% – the first time since the beginning of October that the positivity rate has reached two percent.

Of the confirmed cases today, 325 were detected among unvaccinated people, 248 among fully immunized individuals, 48 ​​with unknown vaccination status, and 15 partially vaccinated (nearly 85% of Ontario residents 12 years of age and older received two doses of the vaccine and 88% received one).

Areas with the most new infections include Toronto (60), York Region (49), Simcoe-Muskoka (47), Niagara Region (45), Ottawa (42), and Peel Region (41). Another 2 deaths, today, bringing the death toll in the province from the beginning of the pandemic to 9,898. The number of patients in Ontario’s intensive care units dropped to 126, down from 133 a week ago. But what is worrying is the number of active and known cases in Ontario which is now 3,800, up from 3,015 seven days ago.

Dr Barry Pakes, of the Temerty School of Medicine at the University of Toronto, told Cp24 that the increase in cases is “very concerning” but, despite the increase in the number of cases per day, he said he did not predict that Ontario will see a fifth wave of a pandemic.

“I don’t think we’re going to see a real wave. A ripple, or continuous trickle is probably what we can expect, unless we see another virus that escapes the vaccine or is more transmissible.” Certainly, the doctor added, “as people get together again (indoors), now that it starts to get colder, it really depends on everyone’s behavior.”

The situation in Quebec is not very different: today there were 545 new cases, of which 352 were not fully vaccinated. To be precise, 333 people who tested positive are not vaccinated, 19 received a dose of the vaccine more than two weeks ago and 193 were vaccinated twice more than seven days ago. The province also recorded 3 other deaths. The active (known) cases are 6,222.

Photo by Steven Cornfield on Unsplash