TORONTO – Decisive leap forward in Covid hospitalizations in Ontario: from 1,301 patients present in hospitals yesterday to 1,486 today. And the number of patients in intensive care with the virus is also growing, from 202 to 206. The total number of hospitalized patients is the highest since last February 15, when there were 1,550. 

Of the patients currently hospitalized, 954 are fully vaccinated, 193 unvaccinated and 65 partially vaccinated, while in the ICU 83 are fully vaccinated, 31 unvaccinated and 2 partially vaccinated (the vaccination status of the remaining patients is unknown). Hospitalization data shows that 55% of patients are in hospital with a disease unrelated to Covid-19, but tested positive upon admission to hospital, while 45% are being treated for the virus. In intensive care, 64% of these patients are in ICU due to Covid-19, while 36% tested positive after hospitalization.

The hospitalizations, therefore, increase as the Ontario scientific table had predicted, which last week hypothesized that hospitalizations would increase and that the province, in the coming weeks, could see more than 500 people in intensive care. But Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, said the Ontario health system is now better suited to handle such an increase.

Today there was also a victim, which brings the total of the province, since the beginning of the pandemic, to 12,633.

15,322 swabs were performed, 1,218 of which were positive, with a positivity rate of 17.9%. However, the number is an underestimate since the “official” tests are reserved only for the “at risk” categories. The active and known cases are now, officially, 33,953: down, therefore, compared to the 35,500 yesterday, for the first time in several days.

Since the start of the pandemic, Ontario has recorded 1,223,461 laboratory confirmed cases and 1,176,875 recovered.

Finally, let’s see the situation of hospitalizations throughout Canada, comparing them with those of three weeks ago (March 28, in brackets): Quebec 2,281 (1,048); Ontario 1,486 (553); Alberta 1,053 (956); British Columbia 328 (260); Saskatchewan 403 (306); Manitoba 158 (165); New Brunswick 68 (129); Nova Scotia 49 (29); Prince Edward Island 36 (22); Newfoundland and Labrador 28 (27).

Image by fernando zhiminaicela from Pixabay