Ontario’s daily COVID cases top 2,000 for first time since May
Posted December 16, 2021 8:58 am.
Last Updated December 16, 2021 6:28 pm.
Ontario reported a huge jump in the number of new COVID infections on Thursday — with the daily tally reaching above 2,000 for the first time in nearly seven months.
Health officials said 2,421 people tested positive for the virus over the last 24 hours — a sharp increase from Wednesday’s case count of 1,808. There have also been nine additional deaths.
According to provincial data, the last time Ontario topped 2,000 new infections was back on May 20 with 2,400 cases. The latest tally was also the highest number of cases since May 15 when 2,584 infections were reported.
More than 54,000 tests have been conducted in the past 24 hours, pushing the positivity rate to seven per cent.
Of the 2,421 new cases, 758 are in those who are not fully vaccinated, while 133 cases are those with an unknown vaccination status.
Health Minister Christine Elliott said 165 people are in the ICU being treated for COVID — of those patients, 141 are not fully vaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status and 24 are fully vaccinated.
More than 90 per cent of Ontarians aged 12 and over have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine, while nearly 88 per cent are fully vaccinated.
Pie chart showing the percentage of Ontarians age 12 and over that are double vaccinated. HANDOUT/Government of Ontario
These new numbers come as the panel of COVID-19 expert advisers released new modelling data on Thursday as to where the pandemic is headed in the province.
On Wednesday, the provincial government announced new measures in response to the highly infectious Omicron variant, which is believed to already have overtaken Delta as the dominant strain in Ontario.
Among them is an accelerated rollout of COVID-19 booster shots, which will be available starting Monday to residents 18 and older whose second dose was at least three months ago.
The province has also said it will cut capacity to 50 per cent at large venues, like sporting arenas and cinemas, starting Saturday.
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With files from The Canadian Press
