TORONTO – Black day, today, on the Covid-front in Ontario: cases, the rate of positivity, the weekly average of infections and active infections increase. But let’s go in order. 

Ontario reported 438 new coronavirus cases today, up from 378 on Wednesday and 409 a week ago. At the beginning of this week, the province had reported 340 new cases on Sunday, 422 on Monday and 331 on Tuesday. The seven-day moving average reaches 383 today, up from 379 today and 366 a week ago. As we said, the positivity rate also rises: Ontario laboratories have processed more than 32,100 tests in the last 24 hours, producing a rate of 1.7%, up from 1.3% a week ago. There are also 5 deaths (the death toll since the beginning of the pandemic rises to 9,891) while the active (known) cases in the province are now 3,189, compared to 3,018 a week ago.

Of today’s cases, 227 involved unvaccinated individuals, 15 partially vaccinated, 159 fully vaccinated and 37 with an unknown vaccination status. So far, over 88% of eligible Ontarians (over 12 years of age) have received one dose of the vaccine and over 84% have received two.

Let’s move on to the territorial distribution and by age. In the Greater Toronto Area, officials reported 72 new cases in Toronto, 26 in the Peel region, 37 in the York region and 4 in the Durham region. Outside of the GTA, the Niagara region reported 40 new cases and Simcoe-Muskoka reported 34. All other regions reported fewer than 30 new infections.

According to the province’s epidemiological report, of the 438 new infections reported today, 84 were identified in children under the age of 12, 30 in young people between the ages of 12 and 19, and another 134 in people between the ages of 20 and 39. years: 248 cases, therefore, out of a total of 438, concern young people. 86 infections detected in schools across Ontario. 72 of these cases were recorded in students and 14 in staff members. There are 501 schools with at least one confirmed case and four facilities are currently closed as a result.

Hospitals: 234 people are hospitalized and 130 are in intensive care units. Of the latter, 85 breathe with the help of a ventilator. 115 of the ICU patients are not fully vaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status and only 15 are fully vaccinated.

Quebec recorded new deaths today but case numbers increased: 588 new infections, up from 525 on Wednesday. The total active cases are 4,878 and are returning to close to 5,000. Admissions fell by seven, along with ICU admissions, which also decreased by seven. Currently 241 people are hospitalized with the virus and 63 in intensive care.

Pic by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay