Ontario reports almost 600 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday

For the third straight day Ontario is reporting more than 500 new cases of COVID-19 as the number of infections among unvaccinated individuals continues to surge.

Provincial officials confirmed 578 new infections on Saturday – the highest single-day total since June 10.

Of those new cases, 408 people are unvaccinated, 59 are partially vaccinated and 111 are fully vaccinated, according to provincial data.

The rolling seven-day average of new cases now sits at 427, a level that has not been seen in almost two months.

Toronto added 153 new cases on Saturday, its highest single-day total since June 8. Peel Region reported 67 additional infections while York Region saw its daily case count almost double to 64.

Another two people have died as a result of the virus, bringing the provincial total to 9,418.

Provincial health officials say 136 people are in hospital as a result of COVID-19 with 125 of them not fully vaccinated or their vaccine status is unknown. Another 111 people are in the ICU with COVID-related symptoms, 110 of them are not fully vaccinated, or had an unknown immunization status.

The province says it administered 50,343 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine on Friday. Over 9.5 million Ontarians are now fully vaccinated.

A total of 23,468 tests were processed in the last 24 hour period, pushing the positivity rate up to 2.4 per cent.

Given the rising case counts, the province is expected to pause any further reopening of the economy while introducing additional vaccine measures.

Dr. Kieran Moore, the province’s Medical Officer of Health, is expected to give details on Tuesday which would mandate COVID-19 vaccines for health care workers as well provide booster shots to targeted groups