Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Over the past 2 days, Ontario has reported 2,485 new cases — 1,446 cases yesterday and 1,039 cases today — with only 2 or Ontario’s 34 health units (Toronto and Peel) reporting triple-digit case increases on each day. The seven-day average of daily cases has fallen to 1,693 and the proportion of active cases has decreased for the 36th straight day.
There has been a net decrease of hospitalizations over the past 2 days, although more than 10% of hospitals did not submit data so the actual number of hospitalizations may be higher. There has been a small net decrease in ICU admissions and a small net increase in ventilated patients over the past 2 days. Ontario has reported 41 deaths over the past 2 days, including 1 new death in a long-term care home.
Almost 8.3 million vaccine doses have now been administered, with the number over the past 2 days averaging just over 93,000. More than 55% of Ontario’s total population has received at least one dose of vaccine.
In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 108 new cases to report, including 80 in Kawartha Lakes (over the past 3 days), 13 in Peterborough (over the past 2 days), 11 in Northumberland (over the past 3 days), and 4 in Hastings Prince Edward (over the past 2 days), with an additional 66 cases resolved.
Most of the new cases in Kawartha Lakes are due to an outbreak at Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, resulting in a spike of 42 new active cases across the region.
There has also been a new COVID-related death in Peterborough, the region’s 19th death since the pandemic began.
See below for details from each individual health unit.
Most of the new cases reported today are in Toronto (325) and Peel (231). These two health units were the only ones to report triple-digit increases on May 23 as well.
There are double-digit increases reported today in York (77), Durham (60), Ottawa (48), Hamilton (43), Niagara (40), Halton (38), Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (29), Porcupine (28), Simcoe Muskoka (20), Windsor-Essex (17), Waterloo (17), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (15), Leeds, Grenville & Lanark (12), and Haldimand-Norfolk (10), with smaller increases in Middlesex-London (9) and Brant (7).
The remaining 16 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 8 health units reporting no new cases at all.
Of today’s new cases, 62% are among people 39 and younger, with the highest number of cases (442) among people ages 20-39 followed by 254 cases among people ages 40-59 and 198 cases among people 19 and under.
With 2,018 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.2% to at 94.7% — the 36th straight day the percentage of resolved cases has increased. After an increase in the average positivity rate across Ontario on May 23, it has now decreased by 0.2% to 6.2%, meaning that 62 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on May 24.
Ontario is reporting 33 new COVID-19 deaths today, with 1 new death in a long-term care home. Ontario has averaged 21 new daily deaths over the past week, an increase of 2 from yesterday.
Hospitalizations have increased by 42 from yesterday to 1,025, although more than 10% of hospitals did not submit data for today’s report so the actual number of hospitalizations may be higher. The number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs has increased by 5 to 692 and the number of patients with COVID-19 on ventilators has increased by 10 to 498.
A total of 16,857 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation increasing by 151 to 7,450.
A total of 8,251,642 doses of vaccine have now been administered, an increase of 86,927 from yesterday, and 544,288 people have been fully vaccinated with both doses of vaccine, an increase of 6,318 from yesterday.
The number of fully vaccinated people represents 3.69% of Ontario’s population, an increase of 0.04% from yesterday, with fully and partially vaccinated people representing 56.01% of the total population, an increase of 0.59% from yesterday. An estimated 70-90% of the population must be immunized to achieve herd immunity.
In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 108 new cases to report over the past 2 days, including 80 in Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Peterborough (2 yesterday and 11 today), 11 in Northumberland, and 4 in Hastings Prince Edward. There are no new cases in Haliburton.
The cases in Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland are from the past 3 days, with 67 of the cases in Kawartha Lakes associated with an outbreak at Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay.
An outbreak at an unidentified workplace in Belleville involving 1 case was declared on May 21.
There has been 1 new COVID-related death in Peterborough, the region’s 19th death since the pandemic began.
There are 104 new regional cases of variants of concern, including 78 in Kawartha Lakes, 15 in Peterborough (12 yesterday and 3 today), 10 in Northumberland, and 1 in Hastings Prince Edward.
There has been 1 new hospitalization and 1 new ICU admission in Peterborough, and 1 new hospitalization in Kawartha Lakes.
An additional 66 cases have been resolved, including 26 in Peterborough (16 yesterday and 10 today), 14 in Northumberland, 13 in Kawartha Lakes, 11 in Hastings Prince Edward, and 2 in Haliburton. An outbreak at Peterborough Day Care Centre in the City of Peterborough was declared resolved on May 25. Outbreaks at unidentified workplaces in Belleville and Central Hastings were declared resolved on May 21. A community outbreak in Hastings Highlands in North Hastings was declared resolved on May 25.
There are currently 305 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, an increase of 42 since yesterday, including 147 in Kawartha Lakes, 89 in Peterborough, 36 in Hastings Prince Edward (12 in Quinte West, 7 in Belleville, 2 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, 4 in Prince Edward County, 9 in Central Hastings, and 2 in North Hastings), 31 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,468 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,360 resolved with 19 deaths), 965 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (775 resolved with 56 deaths), 909 in Northumberland County (861 resolved with 17 deaths), 118 in Haliburton County (116 resolved with 1 death), and 1,103 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,056 resolved with 11 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Peterborough on May 25.
The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 4 p.m. the previous day, as well as from systems in Toronto, Ottawa, and Middlesex-London at 2 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).
Peterborough Public Health
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are for May 24 and May 25.
Confirmed positive: 1,468 (increase of 13)
Total variants of concern cases: 651 (increase of 15)
Active cases: 89 (decrease of 14)
Close contacts: 305 (decrease of 66)
Deaths: 19 (increase of 1)
Resolved: 1,360 (increase of 26)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 65 (increase of 1)*
ICU admissions (total to date): 15 (increase of 1)
Total tests completed: Over 52,100 (increase of 100)
Total vaccine doses administered (residents and non-residents): 69,989 (increase of 3,944 as of May 20)
Number of residents who have received first dose: 64,199 (increase of 3,675 as of May 20)
Number of residents fully vaccinated: 4,852 (increase of 277 as of May 20)
Outbreaks: Unidentified congregate living facility #3 in the City of Peterborough, Helping Hands Day Care in Peterborough County, Unidentified workplace #9 in Peterborough County, Unidentified workplace #10 in Peterborough County, Fairhaven long-term care home in Peterborough (decrease of 1)**
*As of May 25, Peterborough Regional Health Centre is reporting 10 patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19 (increase of 3) and a total of 76 patients transferred from other areas as a result of a provincial directive (increase of 1).
**An outbreak at Peterborough Day Care Centre in the City of Peterborough was declared resolved on May 25.
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Saturday, excluding Sundays and statutory holidays. These numbers include May 23, May 24, and May 25.
Confirmed positive: 1,992, including 965 in Kawartha Lakes, 909 in Northumberland, and 118 in Haliburton (increase of 91, including 80 in Kawartha Lakes and 11 in Northumberland)*
Total variants of concern cases: 674, including 330 in Kawartha Lakes, 311 in Northumberland, and 33 in Haliburton (increase of 88, including 78 in Kawartha Lakes and 10 in Northumberland)
Active cases: 179, including 147 in Kawartha Lakes, 31 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (net increase of 62, with increase of 67 in Kawartha Lakes)
Probable cases: 1 (increase of 1 in Kawartha Lakes)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 71, including 37 in Kawartha Lakes, 31 in Northumberland, and 3 in Haliburton (increase of 1 in Kawartha Lakes)**
Deaths (including among probable cases): 74, including 56 in Kawartha Lakes, 17 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change)
Resolved: 1,752, including 775 in Kawartha Lakes, 861 in Northumberland, and 116 in Haliburton (increase of 29, including 13 in Kawartha Lakes, 14 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton)
Tests completed: 191,761 (increase of 1,322)
Vaccine doses administered to residents: 95,921 (increase of 10,136 as of May 25)
Number of residents fully vaccinated: 7,335 (increase of 2,458 as of May 25)
Outbreaks: Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Campbellford Farm Supply LTD (no change)
*The health unit states that total counts and counts for individual counties may fluctuate from previously reported counts as cases are transferred to or from the health unit based on case investigation details and routine data cleaning.
**As of May 25, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay reports 4 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (increase of 1).
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from May 24 and 25.
Confirmed positive: 1,103 (increase of 4)
Confirmed variants of concern cases: 463 (increase of 1)
Active cases: 36 (decrease of 7)
Deaths: 11 (no change)
Currently hospitalized: 10 (decrease of 1)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 4 (decrease of 2)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 3 (decrease of 3)
Resolved: 1,056 (increase of 11)
Tests completed: 142,903 (increase of 209)
Vaccine doses administered: 84,760 (increase of 1,096)
Number of people fully vaccinated: 6,761 (increase of 48)
Outbreaks: Quinte 5 at QHC Belleville General Hospital, Unidentified workplace in Belleville (net decrease of 1)*
*An outbreak at an unidentified workplace in Belleville involving 1 case was declared on May 21. Outbreaks at unidentified workplaces in Belleville and Central Hastings were declared resolved on May 21. A community outbreak in Hastings Highlands in North Hastings was declared resolved on May 25.
Province of Ontario
May 23
Confirmed positive: 523,911 (increase of 1,446)
COVID-19 variants of concern (VOC) cases: 119,145 of B.1.1.7 UK variant (increase of 1,204); 888 of B.1.351 South Africa variant (increase of 83); 2,422 of P.1 Brazilian variant (increase of 17)
VOC R(t): 0.83 (decrease of 0.01 as of May 16)*
7-day average of daily new cases: 1,775 (decrease of 103)
Positivity rate: 6.4% (decrease of 0.7%)
Resolved: 495,251 (increase of 2,072), 94.5% of all cases (increase of 0.1%)
Hospitalizations: 983 (decrease of 58)**
Hospitalizations in ICU: 687 (decrease of 6)
Hospitalizations in ICU on ventilator: 478 (decrease of 2)
Deaths: 8,622 (increase of 8)
7-day average of daily new deaths: 19 (increase of 1)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 3,947 (no change)
Total tests completed: 15,024,867 (increase of 20,151)
Tests under investigation: 7,299 (decrease of 2,214)
Vaccination doses administered: 8,164,715 (increase of 99,108), 55.42% of Ontario’s total population (increase of 0.67%)***
People fully vaccinated (two doses): 537,970 (increase of 6,367), 3.65% of Ontario’s total population (increase of 0.04%)***
May 24
Confirmed positive: 524,950 (increase of 1,039)
COVID-19 variants of concern (VOC) cases: 120,130 of B.1.1.7 UK variant (increase of 985); 817 of B.1.351 South Africa variant (decrease of 71); 2,462 of P.1 Brazilian variant (increase of 40)
VOC R(t): 0.83 (decrease of 0.01 as of May 16)*
7-day average of daily new cases: 1,693 (decrease of 82)
Positivity rate: 6.2% (decrease of 0.2%)
Resolved: 497,269 (increase of 2,018), 94.7% of all cases (increase of 0.2%)
Hospitalizations: 1,025 (increase of 42)**
Hospitalizations in ICU: 692 (increase of 5)
Hospitalizations in ICU on ventilator: 498 (increase of 10)
Deaths: 8,655 (increase of 33)
7-day average of daily new deaths: 21 (increase of 2)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 3,948 (increase of 1)
Total tests completed: 15,041,724 (increase of 16,857)
Tests under investigation: 7,450 (increase of 151)
Vaccination doses administered: 8,251,642 (increase of 86,927), 56.01% of Ontario’s total population (increase of 0.59%)***
People fully vaccinated (two doses): 544,288 (increase of 6,318), 3.69% of Ontario’s total population (increase of 0.04%)***
*R(t) is a virus’s effective reproduction number, which is the average number of new infections caused by a single infected individual at a specific time (t) in a partially immunized population. To successfully eliminate a disease from a population, R(t) needs to be less than 1.
**More than 10% of hospitals did not submit data for this report, so the actual number of hospitalizations may be higher.
***An estimated 70-90% of the population must be immunized to achieve herd immunity.
For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.
