Ontario reports 2,923 new COVID-19 cases, 441 in Peel

 

Ontario is reporting 2,923 new cases of COVID-19 today, the highest daily increase since the start of the pandemic.

The province also logged 19 new deaths related to the novel coronavirus since the last report.

Health Minister Christine Elliott says 998 of the new cases reported today are in Toronto, 441 in Peel Region, 408 in York Region, 158 in Durham and 144 in Windsor-Essex County.

Meanwhile, some 50,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are expected to arrive in Ontario today.

Retired Gen. Rick Hillier, who is leading the province's COVID-19 vaccination program, says the drug will be distributed to long-term care and retirement homes.

He says immunizations are slated to start there within days of the delivery.

Hillier said Tuesday that more than half of Ontarians -- about 8.5 million -- should receive the vaccine by the end of July.

Another vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech is already being administered to health-care workers, but its storage requirements limit where that can be done.

Ontario's associate chief medical officer of health is expected to discuss the province's framework for vaccine distribution at a news conference this afternoon.

The Canadian Press