Ontario reports highest new COVID-19 death toll in over a year

Ontario is reporting the most new COVID-19 deaths in over a year and second highest daily total since the start of the pandemic.

The 92 deaths reported on Wednesday are the highest total the province has seen since Jan. 15, 2021. According to Public Health Ontario, 46 deaths on that day were due to a “data cleaning initiative” from the Middlesex-London Health Unit.

The Ministry of Health says 89 of the new deaths reported Wednesday occurred in the past 21 days.

Health officials are reporting 4,016 people hospitalized due to the virus — up slightly from 4,008 the previous day.

There are now 608 COVID patients in the ICU, down from 626 the day before. Of those patients, 367 are on ventilators.

Source: Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table

Not including individuals with an unknown vaccination status, 45 per cent of ICU admissions and 27 per cent of hospitalizations are unvaccinated. Just 8 per cent of Ontarians 12 and older have not received a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

According to Health Minister Christine Elliott, 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.

As of Wednesday, 91.7 per cent of Ontarians aged 12 and older have received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 89 per cent have received two doses. More than six million Ontarians have now received a third dose.

The province administered more than 79,000 doses 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 5,368 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 33,687 tests completed in the last 24-hour period for a test positivity rate of 14.1 per cent.

Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday he doesn’t see the province’s mask mandates ending anytime soon. Ford said he wants to get back to normal, but wants to do it properly and cautiously, which is why there will be at least 21 days between each phase in the province’s reopening plan.

The reopening will begin on Jan. 31 when gyms and restaurants will open at 50 per cent capacity and gathering limits will increase to 10 people indoors and 25 outdoors.