Ontario COVID hospitalizations up more than 25% week-over-week

COVID-19 hospitalizations in Ontario are up more than 25 per cent week-over-week on Monday as indicators continue to suggest the province has entered a sixth wave of the virus.

Provincial officials are reporting 1,090 hospitalizations, compared to 857 last week. A number of hospitals don’t submit figures over the weekend so Monday’s numbers are typically lower than other days of the week.

The number of patients in the ICU is up to 184 from 168 last week. There are 82 COVID patients in the ICU who are on a ventilator.

#Covid19Ontario daily cases vs. total current hospitalizations pic.twitter.com/QDY93mKMkP

— Dr. Jennifer Kwan (@jkwan_md) April 11, 2022

The province is also saw three new deaths as a result of the virus.

Officials are reporting another 2,401 new infection but that figure is significantly underreported due to limits in the province’s testing capacity. Wastewater surveillance data suggests the province is seeing more than 100,000 new infections daily.

There were 12,419 tests completed in the last 24-hour period for a test positivity rate of 17.6 per cent.

The province administered more than 12,000 vaccine doses in the last day. Ontario opened up fourth doses of the COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday to any residents 60 and older.

Dr. Moore to provide 1st COVID-19 update in nearly a month

Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore is scheduled to provide a COVID-19 update on Monday, making his first public appearance since the middle of March on Monday.

Since that time most public health measures in the province have been lifted and Ontario has entered a sixth wave of the pandemic.

Moore has a news conference scheduled for 1 p.m. where he is expected to talk about the province’s response to the sixth wave and provide information on expanded access to antivirals.

Many have called for the reintroduction of some public health measures, such as masking in schools, during the sixth wave.

Masking requirements remain for public transit, long-term care, retirement homes and other health-care settings, congregate care settings, shelters, jails and homes for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Mandatory mask rules are currently scheduled to end for all remaining settings on Apr. 27.

Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott said last week there are no plans to change the masking rules in the province at this point, despite calls from the opposition parties to do so.