161 COVID patients in Ontario ICUs, 89 on ventilators

Indicators of COVID-19's impact in the province remain plateaued, with small rises and falls in the number of deaths, hospitalizations, and ICU admissions this month.

There are 161 COVID patients in ICUs, according to today's report, and 667 COVID-positive patients in hospitals across the province.

Between March 1 and 24 in Ontario, 196 people died after contracting COVID-19, and that's including 15 deaths confirmed in today's report that occurred within the last month. 

Over the course of the pandemic, the province has reported 12,388 deaths that were either caused by COVID, COVID was a contributing factor to the death, or the cause of death was unknown or missing. 

As of today, Public Health Ontario has confirmed 1,148,336 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 1,118,196 cases recovered or resolved.

There were 1,818 more recoveries and 2,761 new cases confirmed through lab testing in today's report. New case counts are underestimated due to limited testing.

The March 25 updates provided by the province's public health agency and the ministry of health also reported the following data:

Hospitalizations

• 667 COVID-positive patients in hospitals, up from 661 yesterday. Of those, 46 per cent were admitted because of COVID-19, and 54 per cent were admitted for unrelated reasons but test positive for COVID-19.
• Among those hospitalized, but not in the ICU, are 123 unvaccinated patients, 23 partially vaccinated patients, and 402 fully vaccinated patients. 
• 161 people are in ICU because of COVID-related critical illness, down from 165 reported yesterday. Of those, 38 no longer test positive for COVID-19.
• There are 89 patients on ventilators because of COVID-related critical illness.
• Among the COVID patients in ICUs are 30 unvaccinated people, three partially vaccinated people, and 66 fully vaccinated people (two or more doses).

Vaccination

• About 86 per cent of the population over four years old in Ontario is fully vaccinated (about 12 million people)
• More than 7.1 million people in Ontario have had three doses of a COVID vaccine.
• 10 per cent of the eligible population (aged 5 and up) is unvaccinated

Testing

• Provincial labs processed 17,654 tests for today's report, resulting in a 12.6 per cent positivity rate. 
• Over the last seven days, the positivity rate has ranged between 12 and 13.4 per cent

Northern Ontario 

In the north, there are 90 hospitalizations, down from 91 yesterday, according to provincial data. There are 12 people in ICU with the virus, down from 13 yesterday, and three people on ventilators, down from five yesterday.

In Northern Ontario, the breakdown of Public Health Ontario data for cases and vaccination is:

• Algoma Public Health: The health unit has reported 6,361 cases, 437 known active cases and 19 hospitalizations, with three people in ICU. Of the eligible population five years and older, 89 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 85 per cent have both doses. Of the population 18 years and older, 62 per cent have a booster.
• North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit: The health unit has reported 4,376 cases, 109 known active cases and five hospitalizations. Of the eligible population five years and older, 86 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 83 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 60 per cent have a booster.
• Porcupine Health Unit: The health unit has reported 6,156 cases, 226 known active cases and eight hospitalizations. Of the eligible population five years and older, 88 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 83 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 54 per cent have a booster.
• Public Health Sudbury and Districts: The health unit has reported 12,653 cases, 290 known active cases and 34 hospitalizations, with one person in ICU. It is only updating its numbers Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Of the eligible population five years and older, 89 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 85 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 59 per cent have a booster.
• Timiskaming Health Unit: The health unit has reported 1,339 cases, 68 known active cases, and two hospitalizations. Of the eligible population five years and older, 86 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 82 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 58 per cent have a booster.
• Northwestern Health Unit: The health unit has reported 6,353 cases and 267 known active cases. Current hospitalizations are not reported. Of the eligible population five years and older, 97 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 90 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 62 per cent have a booster.
• Thunder Bay District Health Unit: The health unit has reported 9,668 cases, 121 known active cases and 26 hospitalizations, with five people in ICU. The health unit is only updating data Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Of the eligible population five years and older, 89 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 85 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 60 per cent have a booster.

The data from Northern Ontario health units is based on what was available at 10:30 a.m. today.