TORONTO – 340 new cases of Covid-19 and 2 other deaths, today, in Ontario. All in all a positive figure, given that there were 419 cases on Friday and 356 on Saturday: after a few days of ascent, therefore, the infections seem to return to decline. The seven-day moving average is now 349, down from Saturday (353). The provincial laboratories processed 25,707 test samples, so the positivity rate is 1.7%. 

Regarding the distribution of cases in Ontario, Toronto reported 58, the Peel region 26 and the York region 22, Hamilton 6, Halton 8 and Durham 8. 167 of today’s cases involved unvaccinated people, 12 partially vaccinated, 117 fully vaccinated and 44 with unknown vaccination status. Currently, 88% of Ontario residents aged 12 and over have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 84% are fully vaccinated. 133 patients in hospital ICU, including 22 relocated from Saskatchewan. Of these, 88 breathe with the help of a ventilator.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 599,955 confirmed cases in Ontario, with 9,871 deaths and 587,069 cured. The cases still active (known) are 3,015.

Quebec today recorded 567 new infections and 1 death while hospitalizations continue to decline. Overall hospitalizations decreased by eight for a new total of 236 people being treated in hospitals: of these, 62 are in intensive care, five fewer since Saturday. Sunday’s update was based on 23,376 tests analyzed, for a positive rate of 2.1 percent. The seven-day mean increase is now 470 infections per day.

Of the eligible population (ages 12 and up), 87% are fully vaccinated and 90% have received at least one dose. Analyzing the latest cases, those on Sunday, it emerges that people who received the first dose less than two weeks ago or who never received an injection represent 353 of the 567 new cases and 5 of the 13 new hospitalizations (the other 8 had received two doses). Based on data from the Ministry of Health, unvaccinated people are 20.1 times more likely to be hospitalized after contracting Covid-19. The cases still active (known) in Quebec are 4,631.

Meanwhile, the situation seems to be improving in Alberta: on Friday (the last day on which the data are released, then we talk about it again after the weekend because there are no data available) the province reported 608 new cases of Covid-19.

765 people are still hospitalized with Covid-19, including 180 patients in intensive care units.

The province now has 8,158 active cases and is continuing its downward trend.

Unfortunately, eight other deaths were also recorded on Thursday: bringing the number of coronavirus deaths in Alberta since the start of the pandemic to 3,093.

Nearly three-quarters of all Alberta residents, 73.9 percent of the province’s entire population, received a first dose. About 67.9 percent are fully vaccinated.

The next data update for Alberta is scheduled for Monday afternoon and will include weekend data from Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

In the pic, the Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge, Alberta (photo by Graham Ruttan on Unsplash)