Ontario reported 821 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the highest daily total since surpassing 900 cases in early October. The province also identified three more COVID-19 deaths.
Of the new cases, 327 are Toronto, 136 in Peel, 64 in York Region and 79 in Ottawa.
The province conducted 24,049 tests in the last 24 hour period, with 24,129 tests still under investigation.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the low testing rate is due to fewer people getting tested for COVID-19.
There are currently 274 people in Ontario hospitals with COVID-19, 72 in ICU, and 628 more cases are resolved.
A total of 87 long-term care homes in the province are reporting outbreaks, one new outbreak reported on Tuesday, with 197 confirmed cases in residents and 249 in staff.
Ontario reported 121 new school-related COVID-19 cases, 75 are students, 22 are staff and 24 have not been identified.
When asked about the province’s decision to reopen dance studios in COVID-19 hotspots Ford said these classes differ from boutique fitness studios because the participants are like “cohorts” who come in for their class then leave, “not much different” than the school environment.
The premier went on to say the province is “looking at” rules around these small fitnesses studio but the comparison is apples and oranges.
