Ontario reports 1,009 new COVID-19 cases as elementary school-linked outbreaks reach new high
CBC
Ontario reported 1,009 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, as the number of elementary school-related outbreaks of the illness reached a new pandemic high for a second day.
According to the province, there are 260 active outbreaks connected to schools, with 239 linked to elementary schools.
That's up from the 219 elementary school-related outbreaks reported on Tuesday. Before yesterday, the previous pandemic high was 214 logged on April 14 — two days after the province announced that schools would close as part of its effort to contain the third wave of the pandemic.
In recent weeks, schools have been the setting for the bulk of COVID-19 outbreaks in Ontario. In this context, an outbreak is defined as two or more lab-confirmed cases in students, staff or visitors where at least one of the infections has an epidemiological link, meaning the case was transmitted within the school, not in the wider community.
The province reported its highest single-day tally of school-related cases today, with 252. Ten, or about 0.2 per cent, of Ontario's 4,844 publicly funded schools are currently closed due to the virus.
Relatedy, as of Tuesday, about 23.6 per cent of children aged five to 11 in the province had received a first dose of vaccine.
Meanwhile, today's case count is up from the 780 reported at the same time last week, a 29 per cent jump.
The seven-day average of daily cases climbed to 1,007, a 23 per cent increase over last Wednesday.
The number of patients being treated for COVID-related illnesses in intensive care units fell to 155, down from 165. Of those patients, 97 needed a ventilator to breathe.
Ontario's science advisory table forecasted in its latest modelling, released on Tuesday, that the province could see between 250 and 400 COVID patients in ICUs by the latter part of January, depending on the pace of vaccinations.
In response, the government the health-care system can "safely admit" about 300 COVID patients to ICUs without the need to postpone other urgent care.
The Ministry of Health also reported the deaths of eight more people with COVID-19, pushing the official toll to 10,044.
Here are some other key pandemic indicators and figures from the ministry's daily provincial update:
Tests completed in the previous 24 hours: 38,502, with a 3.3 per cent positivity rate.
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WARNING: This story contains disturbing details about gruesome deaths and sexual abuse.