Public Health Ontario has reported 2,290 new cases of COVID-19 today (Dec. 18), which is down from 2,432 new cases reported yesterday.
The province reported 40 deaths in its latest update including one person between 20 and 39 years old, two people between 40 and 59 years old, 16 people between 60 and 79 years old, and 21 people over the age of 80. Of the deaths reported today, 11 were residents from long-term care homes.
Since yesterday's report, 80 people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 and 17 COVID patients have been admitted to intensive care units.
The latest update provided by the province's public health agency also reported the following:
- 1,992 new recoveries
- 877 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Ontario, down from 919 yesterday
- There are 261 COVID patients in intensive care units (down from 263 yesterday) and 168 COVID patients on ventilators (down from 172 yesterday)
- Of the 2,290 cases reported today, 361 are from Peel, 691 are from Toronto, 296 are from York Region, 207 are from Windsor-Essex, and 61 are from Simcoe-Muskoka
- 133 new school-related cases reported, there have been 7,151 school-related cases reported in Ontario to date
- There are 22 schools currently closed because of COVID-19 cases. All schools in the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, which are currently closed for in-person learning.
- 957 schools (almost 20 per cent of the schools in Ontario) have one or more confirmed COVID-19 case in a staff and/or student
- 17,742 current active cases in Ontario, which is up from 17,484 yesterday
- Provincial public health labs have processed 68,246 tests since yesterday's report, which resulted in a 3.9 per cent positivity rate. The province's goal is to keep the per cent positivity rate below three per cent.
- Ontario's public health labs have processed more than 7.2 million COVID-19 tests since the start of the pandemic
- There is a backlog of 81,235 tests awaiting processing
Public Health Ontario has confirmed 151,257 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 129,417 recoveries and 4,098 deaths.
The cumulative average incidence rate in the province is 1,017.6 cases per 100,000 people in Ontario. The weekly incidence rate in Ontario is 92.5 cases per 100,000 people from Dec. 8 to Dec. 14, which is up from 87.1 cases per 100,000 people from Dec. 2 to Dec. 8.
In Northern Ontario, the breakdown of Public Health Ontario data is:
- Algoma Public Health: 62 cases, rate of 54.2 per 100,000 people. There is one known active case.
- North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit: 99 cases, rate of 76.3 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 98 cases. There are eight known active cases.
- Porcupine Health Unit: 117, rate of 140.2 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 119 cases and one probable case. There are three known active cases.
- Public Health Sudbury and Districts: 247 cases, rate of 124.1 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 250 cases. There are 10 known active cases.
- Timiskaming Health Unit: 29 cases, rate of 88.7 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 29 cases. There are four known active cases.
- Northwestern Health Unit: 137 cases, rate of 156.3 per 100,000 people. The health unit has also reported two probable cases. There are two known active cases.
- Thunder Bay District Health Unit: 468 cases, rate of 312.1 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 467 cases. There are 101 known active cases.