Ontario's daily COVID-19 cases top 1,000 for 1st time, day after reaching previous high

Ontario reported a record 1,042new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, marking the first time cases have surpassed 1,000 a day since the outbreak began in late January.

The bulk of the new cases remainconcentrated in the long-standing hot spots of Toronto, itsneighbouring regions of York and Peel, and Ottawa.

Health Minister Christine Elliott said 309new cases were in Toronto, followed by 289 in Peel Region, 117 in York Region and 80 in Ottawa.

Meanwhile, Ontario's network of community, commercial and hospital labs processed nearly 38,800test samples since its last update, the Health Ministrysays well belowthe province's goal of processing50,000 tests per day by mid-October.

Sunday's count of new cases surpasses the previous high of 978, which was reported on Saturday.

The seven-day average of new daily cases, a measure that limits noise in the data, reached a record-high for a second straight day, climbing to about 857.

After a brief lull in its upward trajectory, dropping to about 732 on Oct. 19, the seven-day average has since been rising steadily once again.

Ontario also recorded sevennew deaths linked to the novel coronavirus, bringing the province's official COVID-19 death toll to 3,093.

Case count may be result of Thanksgiving: health minister

In a statement to CBC News on Sunday, Elliott saidit takes abouttwo weeks for public health measures to "show their full impact" on the rates of COVID-19 transmission.

She also said it's likely that the increase is a result of Thanksgiving gatherings.

"We continue to urge all Ontarians to do their part and not let their guard down by continuing to limit close contact and practise the public health measures that we know work and keep us safe," she said in the statement.

Elliott said health officials will continue to monitor the situation and take "swift action as needed" to limit the transmission of the virus.

Her comments come less than two weeks afterOntario's chief medical officer of health, Dr. David Williams, suggested the province's COVID-19 cases may be "plateauing."

Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at Toronto General Hospital, told CBC News on Sunday that the province's seven-day average of case counts is "movingin the wrong direction."

Bogoch agreed with Elliott in saying that this upwardtrajectory could be the result of Thanksgiving gatheringsor the fact that it can take two weeks for new public health policies to have animpact on the number of cases.

Because of that, he said, it's possible Ontario will see a plateau in cases this week.

He added that there are early indicators that suggest things "may" start to improve.

"It's clearly an unfortunatenumber to see and it's not a milestone anyone wanted to reach," he said.

"Having said that, I like to take a step back and look at the bigger picture."

WATCH | Dr. Isaac Bogoch breaks down Ontario's numbers:

Ontario's COVID-19 numbers 'moving in the wrong direction,' says infectious disease specialist

4 years ago

Duration 10:32

Ontario recorded more than 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 for the first time on Sunday. Infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch says the province's seven-day average of case counts is 'moving in the wrong direction.'

Provincial case total tops 70,000

Meanwhile, a total of 278people are hospitalized in Ontario due to COVID-19, including 79in intensive care.

Some 54people require ventilators, an increase of onefromSaturday.

The number of long-term care homes currently managing COVID-19 outbreaks increased by four from Saturday, to 82.

Sunday's record number mirrors projectionsmade by scientists and physicians last month, suggesting that Ontario's second wave of COVID-19 would peak in mid- to late October and would exceed 1,000 new cases per day.

Ontario health officials released their own modelling projections two days later, predicting a similar surge in cases by mid-October.

Sunday'supdatebrings Ontario's provincial total of cases to 70,373. Some736cases were marked resolved.

Halton politicians make plea to stay in Stage 3

Meanwhile, politicians from a Toronto-area region facing the prospect of stricter public health measures pleaded for an exemption on Saturday, arguing the local COVID-19 caseload isn't on par with numbers in other hot spots that drove Ontario's total to a new single-day high.

The Ontario government moved Toronto, Ottawa, York Region and Peel Region back to a modified Stage 2 of the provincial pandemic recovery plan over the past few weeks, citing rising case numbers.

The province also raised the idea of tightening restrictions on the nearby region of Halton as well in the coming days.

But municipal and provincial politicians with ties to Halton, including members of the province's governing Progressive Conservative Party, issued a letter on Saturday imploring public health officials to spare the region west of Toronto from widespread restrictions.

"There is no evidence to suggest that moving Halton to a modified Phase 2 will have any meaningful impact on reducing case counts," reads the letter to Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams.

"One thing that is certain, is that many people and businesses cannot financially withstand another shutdown."

13 regions see double-digit increases

Sunday's data showed 31new cases in Halton, an increase of 10 from Saturday.

A handful of other areas saw double-digit increases as well:

• Durham Region: 52.
• Niagara Region: 23.
• Waterloo Region: 21.
• Eastern Ontario: 17.
• Simcoe Muskoka: 16.
• Hamilton: 13.
• Windsor-Essex: 12.
• Middlesex-London: 10.