Ontario confirms 78 new coronavirus cases bringing provincial total to 503

Ontario confirmed 78 new cases of COVID-19 in the province as of Monday morning at 10:30 a.m., marking the largest one-day leap thus far.

The province posted the new information to their dedicated coronavirus webpage this morning, as they do each day at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Ontario has now had a total of 503 cases — 489 of which are active, eight resolved and six deceased.

This represents the largest single-day jump in new #COVID19 cases in Ontario yet. As compared to yesterday, there was a 62.5% increase in new cases announced. #COVID19Ontario #COVID19ON #COVIDOntario https://t.co/SEINDrFu15

— Ontario COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates (@COVID19_Ontario) March 23, 2020

At least 15 of the new patients are being treated in Toronto, while the rest hail from Haliburton Kawartha Pineridge, York, Hastings Prince Edward, Peel, Sudbury, Ottawa, Halton, Simcoe Muskoka, Wellington Dufferin Guelph, Hamilton, Durham, Waterloo, Eastern Ontario and the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington area.

The cause of transmission for all the new patients is either listed as close contact or travel, while identifying information for many of the new patients is still marked as "pending."

At least six of the new patients have been hospitalized. 

More than 19,000 people in Ontario have tested negative for COVID-19 to date, while 8,417 are currently under investigation. 

Thirteen healthcare workers have also tested positive for the virus in Toronto, adding to concerns that our healthcare system is ill prepared for the strain of the coronavirus pandemic.