Ontario reports 72 COVID deaths, hospitalizations down 1K in last week

Ontario is reporting 72 new COVID-19 deaths as hospitalizations continue on a downward trend.

Health officials are reporting 2,939 people hospitalized due to the virus — down from 3,091 the previous day and reaching the lowest point since Jan. 10. The province reported more than 4,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations one week ago.

There are now 555 COVID patients in the ICU, down from 568 the day before. Of those patients, 337 are on ventilators. ICU admissions are down from 608 in the last week.


ontario icu

Source: @jkwan_md


Ontario’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table released new modelling on Tuesday suggesting the worst of the current Omicron wave has passed but warning of a jump in hospitalizations in the coming months.

The province began loosening restrictions on Monday, the advisory table says the ease of restrictions will contribute to an increased spread and hospitalizations will rebound and continue at a prolonged peak through February and March.

According to ministry data, 56 per cent of people were admitted to hospital for the virus and 44 per cent were admitted for other reasons but have since tested positive for the virus. Of the ICU patients, 83 per cent were admitted for COVID-19 and 17 per cent tested positive in hospital.

Not including individuals with an unknown vaccination status, 44.2 per cent of ICU admissions and 26.1 per cent of hospitalizations are unvaccinated. This compares to 8.1 per cent of Ontarians 12 and older who have not received a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Of the 72 new virus-related deaths, the Ministry of Health says all but five occurred in the past 24 days and 39 occurred over the previous three days.


ontario vaccination rate

Source: @jkwan_md


As of Wednesday, 91.9 per cent of Ontarians aged 12 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 89.3 per cent have received two doses.

The province administered another 64,978 vaccinations in the last 24-hour period.


Below is the number of new COVID-19 infections and tests in Ontario. Cases are likely much higher due to changes in testing strategy across the province. More information on these changes can be found here.


Health officials also reported 3,909 new cases but Public Health Ontario has said the number of infections is much higher due to changes to the province’s testing policy.

There were 27,720 tests completed in the last 24-hour period and a test positivity rate of 13.4 per cent. It marks the lowest positivity rate the province has seen since Dec. 22.

Premier Doug Ford was asked about the prospect of future lockdowns while unveiling a new long-term care home in Ajax on Tuesday. He said his government is working to ensure the healthcare system can handle any future surge of COVID-19 to avoid shutting things down again.

In a written statement on Monday, Ford said that “All Ontarians are united in their desire to put this pandemic behind us and return to the life we knew before COVID-19.”

Ford’s recent comments are in line with Ontario’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore, who said last week said it’s time to “learn to live with COVID-19.”

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