As many as 60 pharmacies in Ontario will provide COVID-19 testing beginning Friday (September 25) as the province reported 335 new cases today, the lowest daily increase since September 16.

Premier Doug Ford made the announcement on Wednesday (September 23) at a media conference at Shoppers Drug Mart in Huntsville, where he was accompanied by health minister Christine Elliott, Shoppers Drug Mart president Jeff Leger, Huntsville mayor Karin Terziano, Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Norm Miller, Parry Sound-Muskoka MP Scott Aitchison, and and Natalie Bubela, chief executive officer of Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare.

“We need to make it easier to get a COVID test, as it is for a flu shot,” Ford said. “Here in Huntsville, this location will take some pressure off the local assessment centre, in addition to working with our partners to increase the number of testing locations.”

The testing will be available by appointment only for people without symptoms. With the exception of Huntsville, most of the 60 pharmacies to provide testing are located in the three regions of the province with the highest number of cases. Testing will be available on Friday at selected Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall, and independent pharmacies in Toronto, North York, Markham, East York, Scarborough, Weston, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Brampton, Ottawa, Kanata, Nepean, and Huntsville. The province says further locations will be added in the coming weeks.

Ford also announced three hospitals in Toronto — Mount Sinai Hospital, Women’s College Hospital, and University Health Network — will begin offering the less-intrusive saliva-based COVID-19 test, while the Ontario government waits for Health Canada to approve the test for widespread use.

“Health Canada, we need your help,” Ford said. “All I’m hearing is crickets from Health Canada right now on the saliva test. These types of tests make it easier to test people, especially kids.”

Of the 335 new cases in Ontario, the majority are in Toronto (102), Peel (79), and Ottawa (65), with smaller increases in York (30), Halton (15), Waterloo (13), and Simcoe Muskoka (9). The remaining 27 public health units are reporting 5 or fewer cases, with 19 reporting no new cases. Of today’s cases, 69% are among people under the age of 40.

There have been 3 new deaths, and hospitalizations have increased by 6 to 88. The backlog of tests under investigation has increased by 8,291 to 48,079. There are 42 cases in Ontario schools, with 21 student cases, 5 staff cases, and 16 cases among people who are not identified. In licensed child care settings, there are 35 confirmed cases, with 5 child cases and 8 staff cases.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there is 1 new case to report in Peterborough and 2 new cases to report in Northumberland. There are no new cases in Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, or Prince Edward and Hastings counties. There are currently 7 active cases in Peterborough and 7 active cases in Northumberland. None of the cases reported in schools or child care settings are in the Kawarthas region.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 112 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (103 resolved with 2 deaths), 178 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (159 resolved with 32 deaths), 43 in Northumberland County (35 resolved with 1 death), 15 in Haliburton County (15 resolved with no deaths), and 52 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County (47 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on September 8.

Province-wide, there have been 48,087 confirmed cases, an increase of 335 from yesterday, with 41,600 (86.5% of all cases) resolved, an increase of 258. There have been 2,835 deaths, an increase of 3 from yesterday, with 1,830 deaths reported in long-term care homes, an increase of 2 from yesterday. A total of 3,649,980 tests have been completed, an increase of 35,436 from yesterday, with 48,079 tests under investigation, an increase of 8,291 from yesterday.

This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.

Peterborough Public Health

Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.

Confirmed positive: 112 (increase of 1)
Active cases: 7 (increase of 1)
Deaths: 2 (no change)
Resolved: 103 (no change)
Total tests completed: Over 27,800 (increase of 150)
Institutional outbreaks: Fairhaven (no change)

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 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from September 21 and will be updated when the health unit issues its report later this afternoon.

Confirmed positive: 236, including 178 in Kawartha Lakes, 43 in Northumberland, 15 in Haliburton (increase of 2 in Northumberland)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 15 (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 209, including 159 in Kawartha Lakes, 35 in Northumberland, 15 in Haliburton (increase of 1 in Northumberland)
Active cases: 7 in Northumberland (increase of 1)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

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 reports on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 52 (no change)
Active cases: 0 (no change)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change)
Recovered: 47 (no change)
Total tests completed: 32,413 (increase of 1,234)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 48,087 (increase of 335)
Resolved: 41,600 (increase of 258, 86.5% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 88 (increase of 6)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 24 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 9 (decrease of 2)
Deaths: 2,835 (increase of 3)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,830 (increase of 2)
Total tests completed: 3,649,980 (increase of 35,436)
Tests under investigation: 48,079 (increase of 8,291)

For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.

This story has been updated with reports from the Peterborough Health Unit and the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit.

With Ontario reporting 478 new COVID-19 cases today, the highest daily increase since early May, as well as a jump in hospitalizations and school cases, the Ontario government released the “first pillar” of its COVID-19 fall preparedness plan — a flu shot campaign.

“The first pillar helps out hospitals maintain capacity through the use of the flu shot,” said Premier Doug Ford at a media conference at Queen’s Park on Tuesday (September 22) along with health minister Christine Elliott. “The flu shot helps reduce visits to our emergency rooms and doctors’ offices during this season, and this will help with keeping capacity in our health care system. That’s why we’re investing $70 million to deliver the largest and most comprehensive flu shot campaign in Canada’s history.”

The government has ordered 5.1 million flu vaccine doses so far for the entire province, including 1.3 million high-dose vaccine doses for Ontario seniors, especially those with pre-existing health conditions.

“I encourage everyone to get their flu shot this year, it’s absolutely critical,” Ford said. “We need your help. It’s the best way to protect you and your family, because the next few months will be critical. We know that a second wave is coming. We know that it will be more complicated than the first wave. We know it’ll be more challenging on the system. What we don’t know is how it bad it will be, how hard we will get, because that’s up to all of us. It starts with everyone getting their flu shot this year.”

Ford and Elliott said other elements of the plan, entitled Keeping Ontarians Safe: Preparing for Future Waves of COVID-19, will be released over the next several days. Along with the influenza vaccination campaign, Elliott said the plan focuses on five other key areas: maintaining strong public health measures, including continued expansion of testing and case and contact management; quickly identifying, managing, and preventing COVID-19 outbreaks; accelerating efforts to reduce health service backlogs; preparing for surges in COVID-19 cases; and recruiting, retaining, training and supporting health care workers, while also continuing to engage families and caregivers.

Today’s 478 new COVID-19 cases is the largest daily increase since May 2, when 511 cases were reported. Most of the cases are in Toronto (153), Peel (95), and Ottawa (90), with smaller increases in York (27), Waterloo (27), Durham (14), Middlesex-London (12), Hamilton (12), Halton (12), Simcoe Muskoka (8), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (7), and Eastern Ontario (6). The remaining 22 public health units are reporting five or fewer cases. The number of health units reporting no new cases at all has decreased to 11.

The number of hospitalizations has jumped by 17 to 82, the highest number since late July, and the number of cases in Ontario schools has spiked to 51, with 26 student cases, 7 staff cases, and 18 cases among people who are not identified. In licensed child care settings, there are 15 confirmed cases, with 11 child cases and 4 staff cases.

Of today’s cases, 68% are among people under the age of 40. There have been 3 new deaths, all in long term care homes. The backlog of tests under investigation has increased by 7,299 to 39,788.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are no new cases to report in Peterborough. Reports are unavailable today for Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Haliburton, or Prince Edward and Hastings counties. None of the cases reported in schools or child care settings are in the Kawarthas region.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 111 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (103 resolved with 2 deaths), 178 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (159 resolved with 32 deaths), 41 in Northumberland County (34 resolved with 1 death), 15 in Haliburton County (15 resolved with no deaths), and 52 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County (47 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on September 8.

Province-wide, there have been 47,752 confirmed cases, an increase of 478 from yesterday, with 41,342 (86.6% of all cases) resolved, an increase of 196. There have been 2,832 deaths, an increase of 3 from yesterday, with 1,828 deaths reported in long-term care homes, an increase of 3 from yesterday. A total of 3,614,544 tests have been completed, an increase of 34,201 from yesterday, with 39,788 tests under investigation, an increase of 7,299 from yesterday.

This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.

Peterborough Public Health

Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.

Confirmed positive: 111 (no change, last case reported September 17)
Active cases: 6 (no change)
Deaths: 2 (no change)
Resolved: 103 (no change)
Total tests completed: Over 27,650 (increase of 100)
Institutional outbreaks: Fairhaven (no change)

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 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from September 21.

Confirmed positive: 234, including 178 in Kawartha Lakes, 41 in Northumberland, 15 in Haliburton (no change)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 15 (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 208, including 159 in Kawartha Lakes, 34 in Northumberland, 15 in Haliburton (no change)
Active cases: 6 in Northumberland (no change)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

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 reports on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from September 21.

Confirmed positive: 52 (no change)
Active cases: 0 (no change)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change)
Recovered: 47 (no change)
Total tests completed: 31,179 (increase of 2,285)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 47,752 (increase of 478)
Resolved: 41,342 (increase of 196, 86.6% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 82 (increase of 17)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 24 (increase of 2)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 11 (decrease of 1)
Deaths: 2,832 (increase of 3)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,828 (increase of 3)
Total tests completed: 3,614,544 (increase of 34,201)
Tests under investigation: 39,788 (increase of 7,299)

For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.

This story has been updated to include the September 22nd report from Peterborough Public Health.

Ontario will be releasing its COVID-19 fall preparedness plan over several days this week, as the province reported 425 new cases today — the highest daily increase since June 5 when 455 cases were reported, and the third increase over 400 in the last four days.

Health minister Christine Elliott confirmed the “imminent” release of the plan during Question Period at Queen’s Park on Monday (September 21) and afterwards at a media conference with Premier Doug Ford and associate chief medical officer of health Dr. Barbara Yaffe, where Ford called on the federal government to provide the provinces and territories with an additional $28 billion in federal transfer payments for health care.

Elliott said the plan will address COVID-19 testing volumes and lab capacity to process tests, while accommodating flu season and preparing for a possible surge in cases in hospitals and long-term care facilities.

“We have planned for the worst and are ready for it, and everything else in-between,” Elliott said. “We are looking forward to sharing this plan with the people of Ontario.”

Most of the new cases reported today are in Toronto (175), Peel (84), and Ottawa (60), with smaller increases reported in York (20), Durham (14), Waterloo (13), Halton (12), Simcoe Muskoka (9), Hamilton (8), Middlesex-London (7), and Windsor-Essex (7). The remaining 23 public health units in Ontario are reporting five or fewer cases, with 14 reporting no new cases.

Of today’s new cases, 67% are among people under the age of 40. The percentage of resolved cases has dropped to 87%, from a high of 90.8% in early August. There have been 2 new deaths, with no significant changes to the number of hospitalizations, patients admitted to ICU, or patients on ventilators. The backlog of tests under investigation has decreased by 5,182 to 32,489.

There are 18 new cases identified in Ontario schools (8 students, 4 staff, and 6 unidentified individuals) and 4 new cases (3 child and 1 staff) in licensed child care settings.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are no new cases to report in Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Haliburton, and Hastings and Prince Edward counties. There are currently 6 active cases in Peterborough and 6 active cases in Northumberland; there are no active cases elsewhere in the greater Kawarthas region. None of the cases identified in Ontario schools and child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 111 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (103 resolved with 2 deaths), 178 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (159 resolved with 32 deaths), 41 in Northumberland County (34 resolved with 1 death), 15 in Haliburton County (15 resolved with no deaths), and 52 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County (47 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on September 8.

Province-wide, there have been 47,274 confirmed cases, an increase of 425 from yesterday, with 41,146 (87% of all cases) resolved, an increase of 178. There have been 2,829 deaths, an increase of 2 from yesterday, with 1,825 deaths reported in long-term care homes, an increase of 1 from yesterday. A total of 3,580,343 tests have been completed, an increase of 31,753 from yesterday, with 32,489 tests under investigation, a decrease of 5,182 from yesterday.

This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.

Peterborough Public Health

Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.

Confirmed positive: 111 (no change)*
Active cases: 6 (no change)*
Deaths: 2 (no change)
Resolved: 103 (no change)
Total tests completed: Over 27,550 (increase of 150)
Institutional outbreaks: Fairhaven (no change)

*A positive case reported by the health unit on September 19 was due to an administrative error. The last actual reported case was on September 17.

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 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 234, including 178 in Kawartha Lakes, 41 in Northumberland, 15 in Haliburton (no change)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 15 (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 208, including 159 in Kawartha Lakes, 34 in Northumberland, 15 in Haliburton (no change)
Active cases: 6 in Northumberland (no change)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

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 reports on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 52 (no change)
Active cases: 0 (no change)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change)
Recovered: 47 (no change)
Total tests completed: 31,179 28,894 (increase of 2,285)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 47,274 (increase of 425)
Resolved: 41,146 (increase of 178, 87% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 65 (increase of 2)*
Hospitalized and in ICU: 22 (decrease of 1)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 12 (increase of 2)
Deaths: 2,829 (increase of 2)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,825 (increase of 1)
Total tests completed: 3,580,343 (increase of 31,753)
Tests under investigation: 32,489 (decrease of 5,182)

*As is often the case on weekends, around 35 hospitals did not submit data for the daily bed census. The number of hospitalized patients may increase when reporting compliance increases.

For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.