TORONTO – The “Covid-ceasefire” lasted only one day: on Monday the number of deaths in Ontario was zero, but today there were 16 in just 24 hours, bringing the provincial total from the beginning of the pandemic to 12,272. 

It is still not known about the latest deaths, whether they are deaths from or with Covid-19: last week the Province announced a change in the daily reporting method, consisting in specifying whether the deaths occurred due to the virus or due to other pathologies in the coexistence of the virus, but also today the data were provided in the same way followed so far, that is, without that distinction that could be useful for understanding the actual and real impact of Covid-19.

Meanwhile, the number of hospitalized in intensive care is decreasing: today 220 from 228 hospitalized on Monday, even if it is not known how positively this “balance” can be interpreted, given that the eight fewer patients could figure among the 16 deceased (particular, also this, that it is not possible to know). In total, between ordinary wards and ICU, there are 688 persons in the province’s hospitals, with an increase of 86 since Monday.

As for the infections – it being understood that the tests are limited only to the “at risk” categories), today 1,076 were registered: with 9,698 tests processed in the last 24 hours, the positivity rate is 13%. Most infections were identified in the Greater Toronto Area: 235 new cases in Toronto, 90 in the Peel region, 64 in the York region and 80 in the Durham region. Additionally, 51 new cases reported in Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington. The remaining areas of Ontario reported fewer than 50 new cases. The active and known cases in Ontario are, officially, 15,478.

New escalation of deaths also in Quebec where 20 deaths were recorded today, bringing the total from the beginning of the pandemic to 14,202. There are 1,082 inpatients in hospitals, an increase of 5 after 79 people have been hospitalized and 74 have been discharged in the last 24 hours. 5 more people in intensive care, for a total of 66.

Quebec also recorded, today, 1,023 new cases of Covid-19, out of a total 10,068 tests performed (and limited to “at risk” categories): the rate positivity is 8.3%. The active and known cases in Quebec are now 12,178 but this is only the official estimate. A more precise photograph is given by the portal activated a couple of months ago by the provincial government, where citizens can enter the results of do-it-yourself tests performed at home. So far, out of a total of 108,969 self-reported rapid tests, 85,236 have been found to be positive. 487 tests were entered on Monday, of which 388 were positive.

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