Ontario COVID hospitalizations up 30% in 1 week, no new deaths reported
Posted April 4, 2022 10:38 am.
Last Updated April 4, 2022 3:16 pm.
Ontario is reporting no new COVID-19 deaths on Monday as hospitalizations continue their upward trend.
The number of virus-related hospitalizations has reached the highest point in over a month and is up 30 per cent since last Monday — up to 857 from 655.
Monday’s hospitalization numbers are typically lower due to some hospitals not reporting over the weekend. There are also 168 COVID patients in the ICU, with 92 on ventilators.
Provincial officials are reporting 2,246 new infections though the actual number of cases is believed to be much higher due to the provinces testing restrictions.
There were 11,195 tests completed in the last 24-hour period for a test positivity rate of 19 per cent. It marks the highest positivity rate in Ontario since mid-January.
#COVID19Ontario:
Daily new cases vs. test % positivity in #Ontario
Line = 7 day moving average. #COVIDー19 #onhealthCase counts severely undercounted due to limited testing since Dec 31 (cannot access PCR unless high-risk, rapid tests not counted). pic.twitter.com/vhvUS1HT3p
— Dr. Jennifer Kwan (@jkwan_md) April 4, 2022
The province administered more than 4,000 doses of the COVID vaccine over the last day. Experts say now is the time for a renewed vaccination strategy in Ontario aimed at boosting third-dose uptake, shots for kids and preparing for more comprehensive fourth doses.
While 91 per cent of Ontarians 12 and older have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, only about 60 per cent have received three.
Ford says “little spike” of COVID-19 is manageable
Ontario is able to manage the “little spike” in COVID-19 that the province is seeing right now, Premier Doug Ford said Monday, as hospitalizations jumped 30 per cent week over week.
“We’re going to continue to be cautious. I follow the advice of the chief medical officer. Our hospitals are in good shape right now,” Ford said in Oshawa, Ont.
“We expected a little spike. We said that over the last month, but again, that last spike, we’re being able to manage it.”
Two weeks ago, Ontario ended mask mandates in most public spaces, except for public transit and healthcare settings such as hospitals and long-term care homes.
Infectious diseases expert Dr. Isaac Bogoch said Ontario is likely in better shape than the sheer percentage of boosters would suggest. Two doses plus infection provide roughly the same protection as three doses, Bogoch said, and millions of Ontarians have been infected since the Omicron variant emerged late last year.
Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, Dr. Theresa Tam, says daily average case counts have increased 28 per cent nationally from last week, indicating COVID-19 is re-emerging.
Tam says with cases rising as public health measures are lifted, Canadian should keep wearing face coverings and ensure their vaccinations are up to date.
On a more positive note, Tam says Canadians are now better positioned to live with the virus. The overall effect on the healthcare system may be more manageable due to high immunity in the population from both vaccinations and recent infection during the highly contagious Omicron wave.
Provincial government officials confirmed to CityNews that only 2.9 per cent of the Paxlovid antiviral stockpile had been dispensed to patients since it was approved for use more than two months ago.
Ontario government staff said around 400 people were given the drugs through provincial COVID-19 clinical assessment centres, and 755 treatment courses were sent to hospitals to treat patients in care.
With files from The Canadian Press
