Ontario reports 494 confirmed cases of COVID-19 Wednesday

Ontario is reporting 494 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, bringing the provincial total to 8,447.

Fifty-one people have died from the virus since Tuesday. In total, 385 people have lost their lives since Jan. 15.

The province says 795 people have been hospitalized, with 254 in the intensive care unit and 188 on a ventilator to assist with breathing.

The latest report states 46 per cent of cases are now resolved and 4,429 are currently under investigation.

The government previously said the healthcare systems had the capacity to test 13,000 patients per day but did just over 6,000 tests on Tuesday.

The province also said 98 outbreaks have now been declared in long-term care homes.

The government is set to unveil an enhanced plan to fight COVID-19 in long-term care homes on Wednesday.

Premier Doug Ford says the province will stop people from working in more than one of the homes at a time to limit the virus’s spread.