Ontario reports 412 new virus cases and 27 deaths

Province completed 11,028 tests Friday, a day before new testing regulations hit

Ontario is reporting 412 new cases of COVID-19 and 27 new deaths related to the virus Saturday.

The province now has a total of more than 25,000 cases, which includes 19,146 resolved cases and 2,048 deaths.

The rise in cases represents a 1.7 per cent increase over Friday’s total, and the daily growth rate has hovered between 1.5 and1.9 per cent over most of the last two weeks.

The province was able to complete 11,028 tests Friday, which is still well below the province’s capacity of 21,000 per day.

New testing regulations start Saturday, with asymptomatic front-line health-care workers being tested across the province.

The province will also begin a second round of testing in longterm-care homes, which have been hardest hit by COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Quebec met its COVID-19 testing goals for the first time Saturday, announcing it had administered 14,000 tests as the province continues to gradually ease restrictions.

The province added 75 COVID-19-related deaths Saturday, bringing the provincial death toll up to 3,940.

Health authorities also reported 697 additional confirmed cases, bringing the number of COVID-19 cases across the province to 46,838 — with more than 23,000 of those people testing positive in hard-hit Montreal.

But after admitted fits with testing, the government announced it had done 14,572 tests in one day — surpassing its daily target of 14,000 for the first time since announcing the benchmark on May 1, deemed necessary ahead of reopening.

The province had previously managed more than 13,000 tests twice earlier this month.

The testing triumph comes after Premier François Legault said he was “impatient” this week with the number of people being screened as Quebec announced a series of measures relaxing COVID-19 restrictions.

The province had set a goal of up to 100,000 COVID-19 tests per week ahead of elementary schools, factories, construction and businesses resuming outside Montreal.

Deputy Premier Genevieve Guilbault said on Friday that testing alongside physical distancing rules, wearing masks in public and frequent handwashing were all keys as the province gradually resumes activities this month.

“We need the collaboration of Quebecers: If you have symptoms or have been in contact with someone who is sick, we ask you to go for a test,” Guilbault said Friday, as a public health rule allowing for gatherings with a maximum of 10 people from up to three families with social distancing measures in place took effect.

The province will further relax measures on Monday when some retail businesses are set to reopen in the greater Montreal area, the region hardest hit by the virus in Canada.

Public health has urged masks be worn across the province, particularly on public transit or other areas where keeping a two-metre distance can’t be met.

Transit agencies in the Montreal area are handing out masks next week.