TORONTO — Ontario reported 642 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, the highest single-day increase in more than a month.
The jump in cases -- which hasn't been so big since Oct. 9, when 654 people were diagnosed with the virus -- came a day after the province announced it would delay lifting capacity limits in remaining settings where proof of vaccination is required, including night clubs, strip clubs and bathhouses.
The province's chief medical officer of health said concerning public health indicators were to blame for the pause, which is expected to last 28 days.
The seven-day average of new cases has been climbing, sitting at 532 on Thursday compared to 383 a week earlier.
While hospital and intensive care capacity remains stable, the test positivity rate has been rising, as has the average number of people that a person with COVID-19 will infect.
Public health experts told The Canadian Press this week that the province's move to lift capacity limits in restaurants and stadiums, combined with the cooler weather, could be behind the increased spread.
Health Minister Christine Elliott said that of Thursday's new cases, 397 are in people who are not fully vaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown.
She said 132 people are in intensive care units in the province, and only 18 of them are fully vaccinated.
The province also reported five new deaths linked to the virus.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 11, 2021.
The Canadian Press