Ontario schools report 20 closures, over 300 new COVID-19 cases

The Government of Ontario reports 319 new COVID-19 cases in schools from Friday afternoon to Monday afternoon, surpassing 6,600 cases since September.

According to the provincial government, 270 cases reported today are student-related, and 48 are staff-related.

The new total has now reached 6,664 since back to school.

“Cases reported on this page on Tuesdays include the total number of cases reported from Friday afternoon to Monday afternoon. School boards report to us every weekday from Monday to Friday,” said the provincial government.

There have been 1,745 school-related cases in just two weeks, with 4,919 reported 14 or more days before that.

The numbers are announced daily at 10:30 am on the province’s school and childcare centre coronavirus-tracking website.

Government of Ontario

Today, students account for about 85% of cases reported. Out of the total cases recorded since September, about 69% have been from students.

The province now reports 20 school closures out of the 913 schools that have cases.

Government of Ontario

As for licensed childcare centres, there are now 1,124 total confirmed cases with 172 centres and 483 homes closed.

Government of Ontario

On Monday, the Toronto District School Board reported a total of nine closures due to COVID-19 outbreaks. Factoring in the winter break, students will return on January 4 to allow Toronto Public Health to investigate the cases at the schools.

The provincial government reported 2,275 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday morning, the highest reported since the start of the pandemic.

Today’s numbers are the first time daily cases are over 2,000 and is an increase from Monday’s 1,940, Sunday’s 1,677, Saturday’s 1,873, Friday’s 1,848, and Thursday’s previous record-breaking 1,983.