After weeks of what seemed like a pretty benign progression into Stage 3 of reopening the province, COVID-19 case numbers are starting to spike once more, edging well over the 100 mark for nine consecutive days now.

The number of new cases per day has been steadily increasing, hitting the 148 mark on Friday, with clusters in large urban centres like Toronto, Ottawa and Peel Region.

Ontario is reporting 148 cases of #COVID19 as the province processed over 28,500 tests. Peel is reporting 72 new cases, with 41 in Toronto and 13 in Ottawa. Once again, every other public health unit is reporting five or fewer cases, with 12 units reporting no new cases.

— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) September 4, 2020

There have also been increasing reports of cases among employees of places like malls and gyms, while transit agency Metrolinx this week announced its first positive diagnosis in a staff member in two months.

A Brampton elementary school confirmed today that a member of the team tasked with setting up the institution for students had tested positive for the virus before classes even begin.

These instances have sparked concern about whether it is in fact safe to resume everyday activities like shopping indoors and working out — and whether a second wave is on the horizon.

Many local health officials say a second wave is inevitable and perhaps already starting; Toronto Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa has called the case stats for the past few days "concerning for all of us" as we enter the Labour Day Long Weekend, back-to-school time and flu season.

Officials are still blaming people going out and partying for the recent uptick, with young people 20-39 representing the bulk of new infections compared to other age groups.

"The fact is, we're seeing COVID-19 infections in our city, resulting from people choosing not to follow public health advice," de Villa said at a media briefing on Sept. 2.

"Just this week, we identified new infections amongst people socializing indoors, without masks and at close distance. These are exactly the kind of situations that are contributing to virus spread in other parts of the country."

Covid numbers in #ontario rising. If you know these assholes who are going out partying with no masks, packing beaches, getting drunk, please punch them in the fucking head or at least tell their mothers on them.
I'm done. Staying in Stage 1 forever.https://t.co/PyuLaDq6nF

— cynthiagould WEAR A MASK & STAY HOME til 2021 (@CynthiaGould) August 25, 2020

For a population of 14.57 million people, the province still only has 1,282 active infections, with 38,741 of our total 42,834 patients considered to be recovered. The mortality rate in the province stands at 6.6 per cent, with healthy testing numbers well over 20,000 per day.