TORONTO – Exactly two years ago, on January 25, 2020, the first case of Covid-19 in Canada was identified at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. Since then, the virus has “pulled straight” despite protective gear, restrictions and even vaccines. Today, the second sad “anniversary” of Covid-19 in Canada, another 64 deaths were recorded in Ontario, bringing the total, from that fateful day that marked the beginning of the pandemic in Canada, to 11,068.

There are now 4,008 people with Covid-19 being treated in the hospitals of Ontario (on Monday there were 3,861), of which 626 in intensive care (yesterday there were 615). Also today, another 3,424 cases of Covid-19 were recorded (compared to 4,790 on Monday), which, we repeat, represent the tip of the iceberg since the tests have been limited, for weeks now, only to “at risk” cases. Today, moreover, the number of tests performed in the last 24 hours was not made available by the government and, consequently, the positive rate of the Ontario tests remains, for today, unknown.

Most of the infections recorded today were reported in the Greater Toronto Area, with the province having 570 cases in Toronto, 527 in the Peel region, 197 in the York region, 164 in Durham and 124 in Halton. Other municipalities that have reported more than 100 cases include Ottawa (218), Hamilton (185), Waterloo (162), Windsor-Essex (159), Simcoe-Muskoka (141), Middlesex-London (129) and Niagara (123) .

The analysis of the age of the infected confirms that above all the virus is affecting the youngest: of today’s, 486 were identified among children and young people under the age of 19, 1,260 in people aged between 20 and 39 years , 899 in people aged between 40 and 60 and 776 in individuals aged over 60. Currently, there are 61,566 active and known cases in Ontario, while the total since inception is 1,004,879.

Other peak of deaths in Quebec: today there were 85 deaths, bringing the total, from the beginning of the pandemic, to 12,936. But hospitalizations fell again, with 21 fewer patients in hospitals. Now there are 3,278 inpatients, of which 263 in intensive care (number unchanged compared to yesterday). The active cases (those known) in the province also decreased by 1,647 in the last day: now the total is 45,436 cases. Today’s update highlights 2,977 new cases (however unreliable number due to limited access to tests) out of 22,818 samples analyzed.

However, the data seem comforting to the Quebec government, so much so that today Prime Minister François Legault announced the revocation of some public health measures that had been active since last December (gyms, bars and restaurants closed, meetings prohibited, etc. ): the new plan includes the possibility to reopen restaurants with limited capacity starting next week and the green light for private meetings indoors, with some limits. In addition, students will be able to participate in extracurricular activities and sports (but competitions will remain prohibited). Then, from 7 February, further easing with the reopening of cinemas and theaters, albeit with limited capacity.

Photo by Jakayla Toney on Unsplash