COVID-19 hospitalizations in Ontario drop below 800 for first time since December
Hospitalizations related to COVID-19 in Ontario dropped below 800 on Saturday for the first time since late December.
Of the 795 patients currently receiving care, 44 per cent were admitted due to the novel coronavirus while 56 per cent tested positive after the fact.
The last time COVID-19 hospitalizations in Ontario dropped below the 800 mark was on Dec. 28 when they reached 726.
Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 ICU admissions in the province sank to 253 -- a number unseen since early January. Of those patients in the ICU, 80 per cent were admitted for COVID-19 and 20 per cent are being treated for other reasons.
The vaccination status of those in hospital with COVID-19 is unknown.
With 14,264 tests performed in the last 24 hours, Ontario’s COVID-19 positivity rate is 10.8 per cent, according to the Ministry of Health.
At least 1,930 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported across the province since Friday, though health officials have said that number is likely an underestimate due to limited access to testing.
The total number of lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 recorded in the province stands at 1,111,423.
Another 24 net new deaths were also reported Saturday, though 18 occurred in the last month and six occurred more than one month ago and are being reported today due to a data cleaning, the government said.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Ontario has seen 12,549 deaths related to COVID-19.
WHERE ARE THE NEW COVID-19 CASES?
Most of the cases reported by the province on Saturday were found in Toronto (368), Ottawa (127), Simcoe Muskoka (118), Peel Region (110), and York Region (96).
Other areas with relatively high COVID-19 case counts reported include Northwestern Health Unit (90), Durham Region (89), and Niagara Region (81).
UPDATE ON COVID-19 VACCINATIONS
As of Saturday, 92.7 per cent of Ontarians over the age of 12 have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 90.6 per cent have two doses and are considered to be fully vaccinated.
Health Minister Christine Elliott said 31,773,683 doses of vaccine have been administered throughout the province’s vaccination campaign and 19,812 of those shots were given out on Friday.
Background
The numbers used in this story are found in the Ontario Ministry of Health's COVID-19 Daily Epidemiologic Summary. The number of cases for any city or region may differ slightly from what is reported by the province, because local units report figures at different times.
Health experts have said the number of COVID-19 infections identified in fully vaccinated individuals will naturally increase as more people get both of their shots.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.