Ontario seeing about 100,000 to 120,000 COVID-19 cases per day, science table head estimates

Ontario is seeing an estimated 100,000 to 120,000 new cases of COVID-19 daily, according to the head of the province's scientific advisory table.

Dr. Peter Juni said on Wednesday that estimate is based on the amount of the novel coronavirus seen in Ontario's wastewater, which the province tests to get a sense of how much the pathogen is spreading in the population. He said the current spike looks very much like the fifth wave fueled by the Omicron variant when it reached a peak in early January. 

"We're at the same level again that we were then," Juni told CBC News Network. 

The provincial government lifted most mask mandates in indoor settings in March, but Juni said Ontarians should start wearing them again as they're the quickest way to bring cases down.

"Of course, we're in a different position. I agree, we shouldn't panic but we should mask up. That's the point here," he said.

Juni said the numbers are concerning — "we create the tidal wave again" — but the situation has changed due in part of mass vaccination across the province. He said Ontario might not see the same number of hospitalizations as it did in January. 

"The point here really is, we've build up a wall of immunity, thanks to third doses and thanks to a lot of people who got infected. This will help us," he said.

An estimated 4.5 to five million people in Ontario have been infected with COVID-19 since Dec. 1, 2021, Juni said.

"It's basically us lifting the restrictions and now just moving too much toward normality," Juni said.

"We just need a little bit longer right now."

Earlier on Wednesday, Health Minister Christine Elliott said the province was expecting a spike in infections as the province reopened.

Vaccines and antiviral drugs should help the province weather the latest surge, she said.

"This is something that we are sure we're going to be able to get through, there is no cause for panic."