TORONTO -- Ontario health officials have reported 31 more deaths related to COVID-19 on Saturday Morning, and announced that the total number of deaths in the province now stands at 253.

Provincial health officials also announced 411 more cases of the novel coronavirus. There are now a total of 6,648 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ontario.

In Saturday's epidemiologic summary, health officials listed one deceased patient as being between the ages of 20 and 39, 15 deceased patients were between the ages of 40 and 59, 78 patients who died were between the ages of 60 and 79 and 159 were 80 years of age or older.

Currently, 691 patients remain in hospitals across Ontario and of those patients, 257 of them are receiving treatment in an intensive care unit. Of those 257 patients, 215 of them remain on ventilators to assist with breathing.

Health officials also stated that 744 of all Ontario patients are health care workers.

'Positive trend and direction'

Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams said that it appears social distancing is helping lessen the number of COVID-19 cases in the province.

Williams said that 550 new COVID-19 cases were reported on Wednesday, 483 new cases were reported on Thursday and on 478 new cases were reported on Friday.

“I certainly think this is a positive trend and direction,” Williams said at a news conference on Saturday, suggesting that Sunday’s numbers may be even lower.

“I’m looking at that optimistically. We are certainly bending the curve, whether we’ve actually flattened it is another question.”

Quick facts on all COVID-19 patients in Ontario: