TORONTO – 326 new cases of Covid-19 and no new deaths. Data even better than yesterday’s for Ontario where on Sunday the infections had been 370 and on Saturday 373. With 18,397 tests processed in the past 24 hours, provincial health officials report a provincial-level positivity rate of 1.6%, down slightly from last week’s 1.8%. The seven-day moving average of new cases has now dropped to 372 from 416 on Monday. 

As for the territorial distribution, 39 cases have been reported in Toronto, 33 in the Peel region and 24 in Ottawa.

Of the new infections confirmed today, 95 (29%) concern fully vaccinated people. The number of Covid-19 ICU patients in Ontario fell once again from week to week. There are currently 138 ICU patients, down from 168 on Monday. A dozen of these patients, however, come from Saskatchewan, where the hospital system is strained by hospitalizations.

The number of known and active infections in Ontario is now 3,215, down from 3,846 a week ago.

“In all respects we are doing well in Ontario,” Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at Toronto General Hospital, told CP24 this morning.

“When we compare where we are now versus where we were a year ago, we’re doing much better.” Toronto Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, says this is largely due to vaccination. “The success we have had, the number of people we have been able to vaccinate in collaboration with other healthcare professionals is truly remarkable and it is an important achievement,” she said. “I think it’s an important contribution to why we are where we are now at this point in the pandemic.”

As of today, the province lifted all restrictions on the capacity of bars, restaurants and gyms, along with other establishments that require proof of vaccination for entry. But Dr. Bogoch says that while this is good news for Ontario, people in the province should still take a cautious approach. “If the numbers are going the wrong way, you need to change course right away … long before you start seeing an increase in hospitalizations,” he adds.

Pic by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay