Ontario schools report 166 new school COVID-19 cases

The Government of Ontario reports 166 new COVID-19 cases in schools on Wednesday, surpassing 5,000 cases in three months.

According to the provincial government, 140 cases reported today are student-related, and 26 are staff-related. Ontario schools reported 299 total cases.

The new total has now reached 5,024 since back to school.

There have been 1,386 school-related cases in just two weeks, with 3,638 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

Out of the total cases recorded since September, about 64% have been from students.

The province now reports six school closures out of the 742 schools that have cases.

Government of Ontario

As for licensed childcare centres, there are now 834 total confirmed cases with 135 centres and 459 homes closed.

Government of Ontario

Over the weekend, the Toronto District School Board reported almost 20 COVID-19 cases at Thorncliffe Park Public School, resulting in 14 classes being asked to self-isolate.

In a voluntary coronavirus test on asymptomatic individuals, 18 students and one staff member tested positive for the virus.

On Wednesday, the provincial government confirmed 1,723 new COVID-19 cases, with more than half coming from Peel Region and Toronto.

It is the fourth day in a row where cases are above 1,700 with an increase from Tuesday’s 1,707 and Sunday’s 1,708 but a decrease from Monday’s 1,746, Saturday’s 1,822, and Friday’s record-breaking 1,855.