More than 200 new COVID-19 cases in Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon as experts warn against Omicron

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon hit 218 on Thursday, the highest single day case count in nearly seven months.

Of those new cases, Peel Public Health (PPH) said 136 new were reported in Mississauga, 69 were in Brampton, and another 13 cases were in Caledon and area.

Thursday’s case count was the highest single day of new COVID-19 cases in the Region of Peel since May 28.

The spike in cases comes on the same day that the province’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table released new modelling which showed new infections could hit as 10,000 a day by January.

Third dose COVID-19 vaccine eligibility will expand to all Ontarians over the age of 18 starting on Monday if they have already received a second shot at least three months or 84 days prior.

There have been 120,805 cases of COVID-19 across the Region of Peel according to PPH. Of those cases 118,894 have recovered and 880 are pending.

The Peel District School Board said there are 62 schools in Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon with at least one confirmed case of COVID-19 in students or staff.

Of these, 53 are elementary schools while nine are public schools.

PPH said an outbreak of the virus at St. Gerard School in Mississauga ended on Wednesday, while a new outbreak was declared at Mississauga’s St. Veronica Elementary School.

Here are the schools with active outbreaks:

• St. Veronica Elementary School – Mississauga
• Circle of Children Academy – Mississauga
• Dixie Public School – Mississauga
• San Lorenzo Ruiz Elementary School – Mississauga
• Tomken Road Middle School – Mississauga
• St. Gerard School – Mississauga
• St. Gregory Elementary School – Mississauga
• St. Martin Secondary School – Mississauga
• St. James Catholic Global Learning Centre – Mississauga
• Camilla Rd. Sr. Public School – Mississauga
• St. Teresa Avila – Mississauga
• Robert H. Lagerquist – Brampton
• St Josephine Bakhita CES – Brampton
• É Élém Carrefour des Jeunes – Brampton
• Lester B Pearson Catholic School – Brampton
• St. John Paul II CES – Caledon

PPH says 91.6 per cent of Peel residents over 12 years old have had at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 88.1 per cent have received two doses.

Nearly 86 per cent of people over 5 years old have received at least one vaccine shot, and 81 per cent have received two doses.