TORONTO – Covid-19: impressive surge in infections in Ontario, today: almost 1,300 new cases, with the highest daily count in the province in more than six months. The provincial health officials in fact recorded 1,290 infections, compared to 1,009 on Wednesday and 959 a week ago. Today’s total is therefore the highest recorded in Ontario since May 24, when 1,446 cases were registered. 

The seven-day moving average of new cases also hit a six-month high, reaching 1,055 (up from 851 last week), as of late May. With 40,242 tests processed in the last 24 hours, the provincial-level positivity rate is 3.5%, up from 2.9% last Thursday. Of the cases reported today, 548 involve those who are not vaccinated, 42 involve people who are partially vaccinated, 617 those who are fully immunized and 83 people with an unknown vaccination status.

About 80% of all Ontarians have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 76% are considered fully immunized, meaning that about 42% of new cases confirmed today were found in about 20% of the population. population that remains unvaccinated.

Another 10 deaths related to the virus, which bring the death toll of the province, since the beginning of the pandemic, to 10,054.

The number of patients receiving treatment in Ontario’s intensive care units is unchanged from last week: 155 (of whom only 24 are fully immunized). The latest numbers have an impact and uncertainty on the uncertainty that the new Omicron variant will have on the country.

Cases of Omicron have been confirmed in various regions of the province, including Toronto, Peel Region, Hamilton and York Region. And on Wednesday, the Simcoe Muskoka District Public Health Unit said it was investigating a group of seven cases that have a “strong probability” of being referable to the Omicron variant.

Healthcare units with the highest number of new infections – than those recorded today – include Toronto (206), Windsor (114), Simcoe Muskoka (103), Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (98), Peel Region (71) and York Region (66). There are now 8,661 known and active cases of Covid-19 in Ontario, up from 6,932 a week ago.

The situation is even worse in Quebec, where 1,807 new cases were recorded today (the highest number in a single day since last April 9, when there were 1,868) and 1 death which brings the total, since the beginning of the pandemic, to 11,597.

36,620 tests analyzed: the positivity rate is 4.2%. Overall hospitalizations increased by 13, for a total of 255 people in hospitals, 60 of whom in intensive care (one more than the day before today). 12,085 active cases within the province.

Meanwhile, vaccinations continue, including for children (on which the Ontario data is not yet available). In Quebec, neglect, 221,126 children between the ages of 5 and 11 have received their first doses of the vaccine and 82,180 have an appointment to get it soon. Currently, 81% of eligible Quebecers (ages five and up) have been fully vaccinated and 87% have received at least one dose. Of today’s 1,807 cases, 960 involved people who received only one dose of the vaccine or none.

Photo by Mat Napo on Unsplash