For the second time in the past 10 days, new cases of COVID-19 have surpassed 200 — with 216 new cases confirmed by public health units across the province today.

Of these new cases, 168 of them (or 78 per cent) come from Toronto, Peel, York and Windsor regions, according to Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott.

Ontario is reporting 216 new cases of #COVID19 today, a 0.6% increase with 168 of them, or 78%, coming from Toronto, Peel, York and Windsor. Locally, 27 of Ontario’s 34 public health units are reporting five or fewer cases, with 17 of them reporting no new cases at all.

— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) June 23, 2020

The new number represents a 0.6 per cent increase from the previous report, and it brings the total number of cases in Ontario to date to 33,853.

The province is sadly reporting 10 new deaths today, bringing the total death toll to 2,619. 

With 29,107 cases now considered resolved, just 2,127 active cases remain. 

While hospitalizations have increased, at 288 today they remain well below peak levels when there were more than 1,000 #COVID19 patients in hospital. ICU admissions and vented patients have both decreased today.

— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) June 23, 2020

Case numbers increased yesterday but testing rates dropped significantly. Just 16,189 tests were processed on June 22, which is a far cry from the 21,900 tests completed in the day prior.

A total of 1,212,816 tests have been administered within Ontario to date and some 16,418 cases remain under investigation. 

Though today's case update represents just a slight spike from the past few days, it comes as most of the province is now officially permitted to enter Stage 2 of reopening — including Toronto. 

Elliott says the province is watching closely for any spikes related to the reopening of more businesses and services but it's still too early to tell if this has anything to do with today's rise in new cases. 

"While it's too early to draw conclusions from a single day of data," she wrote on Twitter this morning, "we're watching closely for shifts in #COVID19 trends as we gradually reopen the province's economy and as local public health officials work quickly to contain any spread."