More than 5,800 new COVID-19 infections and nearly 100 deaths related to the disease were logged in Ontario over the last two days as the province smashed their previous record for most cases reported in a single day.
Data released Saturday shows that 3,363 cases of the novel coronavirus were logged this morning and another 2,476 cases were reported on Friday.
The province did not release any COVID-19 data on New Year’s Day.
The previous single-day record of COVID-19 cases was 3,328, recorded on Thursday.
The Ministry of Health noted that the increase in cases for Saturday may have been the result of over-reported numbers due to a “data issue” by one local public health unit.
“Due to a data issue, cases for Toronto Public Health were underreported on December 31 and overreported on January 1,” a spokesperson said.
Ontario’s death toll has now reached 4,626, with a combined 95 deaths reported in the last two days.
Of the cases recorded on Saturday, the majority appear to be logged in the Greater Toronto Area.
“Today, there are 713 new cases in Peel, 700 in Toronto, 395 in York Region, 226 in Windsor-Essex County and 171 in Hamilton,” Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott tweeted.
In the last two days, the province processed more than 130,000 COVID-19 tests, logging a new record on Friday with 70,570 tests completed in the 24-hour period.
According to the ministry, the positivity rate in Ontario now stands at about six per cent.
Photo credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
News source: CTV News
