Public Health Ontario has reported 2,139 new cases of COVID-19 today (Dec. 16).
The province reported 43 deaths in today's update, including one person between 20 and 39 years old, three people between 40 and 59 years old, six people between 60 and 79 years old, and 33 people over the age of 80. Of the deaths reported today, 22 were residents at a long-term care home.
Since yesterday's report, 73 people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 and 12 COVID patients have been admitted to intensive care units
The latest update provided by the province's public health agency also reported the following:
- 2,043 new recoveries
- 932 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Ontario, up from 921 yesterday
- There are 256 COVID patients in intensive care units (up from 249 yesterday) and 157 COVID patients on ventilators (up from 156 yesterday)
- Of the 2,139 cases reported today, 528 are from Peel, 780 are from Toronto, 148 are from York Region, and 46 are from Simcoe-Muskoka
- 223 new school-related cases reported, there have been 6,847 school-related cases reported in Ontario to date
- There are 20 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
- 17,084 current active cases in Ontario, which is up from 17,031 yesterday
- Provincial public health labs have processed 49,189 tests since yesterday's report, which resulted in a 4.3 per cent positivity rate. The province's goal is to keep the per cent positivity rate below three per cent.
- There is a backlog of 65,597 tests awaiting processing
Public Health Ontario has confirmed 146,535 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 125,416 recoveries and 4,035 deaths.
The cumulative average incidence rate in the province is 985.8 cases per 100,000 people in Ontario. The weekly incidence rate in Ontario is 87.8 cases per 100,000 people from Dec. 6 to Dec. 12, which is up from 85.8 cases per 100,000 people from Nov. 30 to Dec. 6.
Yesterday the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit reported 44 new cases in the region, and the death of a Muskoka Region man between 35 and 44 years old.
The growth rate of infections in the region is 1.8 per cent based on cases confirmed between Dec. 6 to 12. If that growth rate continues, health unit projections indicate the region could see as many as 60 cases per day for the week of Jan. 3-9.
There are more than 400 active, lab-confirmed cases in the Simcoe-Muskoka region and 14 people from Simcoe County are hospitalized.
