MONTREAL -- Montreal public health officials on Wednesday reported an increase of 450 new COVID-19 cases and 74 more deaths in the city.

There have now been 17,442 cases of COVID-19 in Montreal and 1,562 people have died from it.

The latest data released continues to show an uptick of new cases (there were 355 new cases reported on Tuesday) -- though it is important to note, officials say, that some of those cases were only recorded in the last 24 hours, and did not necessarily occur then.

Of those deaths, the vast majority -- 1,152 of them -- are of people 80 years and older. More women than men have succumbed to the virus on the island of Montreal, with 852 women and 710 men having died due to COVID-19. More women are also testing positive for the virus, with 10,329 of the confirmed COVID-19 cases, or 59.5 per cent, women and 7,033, or 40.5 per cent, men.

Montreal North continues to be the most affected borough, with 1,833 cases per 100,000 people or 9.3 per cent of cases on the island. The highest mortality rate, though, is in the Town of Mount Royal, where 53 people have died, or 261.4 per 100,000 people. 

Anyone who believes they have symptoms of the virus, including fever, dry cough and difficulty breathing, is urged to call 514 644-4545 or 1 877 644-4545 and self-isolate until they are directed to a testing site.

Priority testing is given to those who are symptomatic, particularly those who are in areas that are beginning to reopen, including schools, daycares and construction sites, as well as front-line workers, and those close to someone who has tested positive for the virus.

See more details in the interactive charts below.