MONTREAL -- Montreal public health authorities reported that 296 more people have tested positive for COVId-19 on the island in the past 24 hours. That number is over 100 more new cases than were reported Wednesday when officials reported 189 new cases. 

In addition, officials reported three new deaths on the island. The total number of people who have died due to the disease is now 3,501.

The total number of positive cases on the island is now 38,427 since the start of the pandemic. 

Of the new cases, 86 were reported by the centre-west health and social services centre (CIUSSS), 73 by the north CIUSSS, 69 by the east CIUSSS, 37 by the West Island CIUSSS and 32 by the south-central CIUSSS.

The region with the highest jump in numbers was the Cote-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grace borough which reported 50 new cases (3,163 total cases), followed by Saint-Laurent which reported 29 new cases (1,660 total) and Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension with 27 new cases (3,090 total).

The most cases since the start of the pandemic have been reported in Montreal North with 3,215 total cases and a rate of infection of 3,816.7 per 100,000 people.