166 COVID patients in Ontario ICUs, 86 on ventilators

New COVID cases, hospitalizations, ICU admissions and the number of patients on ventilators all continue to increase as a sixth wave of the pandemic spreads through Ontario. 

The latest provincial update includes 4,295 lab-confirmed cases, 1,135 COVID-positive patients in hospital and 166 patients in intensive care units. 

Case counts are assumed to be underestimated because not everyone is eligible to receive PCR testing and only PCR results are included in the daily case counts.

The province reported six more COVID-related deaths that occurred within the last month and four that occurred more than a month ago.

According to the latest update, there have been 204 COVID deaths since March 9, with between four and 13 deaths each day. 

Over the course of the pandemic, the province has reported 12,537 deaths that were either caused by COVID, COVID was a contributing factor to the death, or the cause of death was unknown or missing. 

Among those deaths were 7,274 people aged 80 and over, 4,223 people between 60 and 79 years old, 891 people between 40 and 59 years old, 133 people between 20 and 39 years old, and 15 people under 19 years old. 

As of today, Public Health Ontario has confirmed 1,188,640 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 1,147,533 cases recovered or resolved.

The April 8 updates provided by the province's public health agency and the ministry of health also reported the following data:

Hospitalizations

• 1,135 COVID-positive patients in hospitals, up from 1,126 reported yesterday. Of those, 47 per cent were admitted because of COVID-19 and 53 per cent were admitted for other reasons but still test positive for COVID-19.
• Among the hospitalized COVID patients not in the ICU are 179 unvaccinated people, 37 partially vaccinated people, and 690 fully vaccinated people. 
• 166 people are in ICU because of COVID-related critical illness, which is up from 159 reported yesterday. Of those, 32 no longer test positive for COVID-19.
• There are 86 patients on ventilators because of COVID-related critical illness, up from 80 yesterday.
• Among the ICU hospitalizations are 25 unvaccinated people, two partially vaccinated people, and 70 fully vaccinated people.

Vaccination

• About 86 per cent of the population over four years old in Ontario is fully vaccinated (about 12.1 million people)
• More than 7.2 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 

• Ontario labs processed 17,565 tests for the latest report, resulting in a 19 per cent positivity.

Northern Ontario 

In the north, there are 125 hospitalizations, up from 123 yesterday, according to provincial data. There are 19 people in ICU with the virus, up from 17 yesterday, and five people on ventilators, up from six yesterday.

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

• Algoma Public Health: The health unit has reported 7,061 cases, 442 known active cases and 19 hospitalizations, with five 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 4,755 cases, 196 known active cases and 12 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 6,496 cases, 227 known active cases and 12 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 13,413 cases, 382 known active cases and 45 hospitalizations, with three people 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 1,515 cases, 78 known active cases, and nine hospitalizations, with one person in ICU. 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 6,905 cases and 172 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, 63 per cent have a booster.
• Thunder Bay District Health Unit: The health unit has reported 10,040 cases, 127 known active cases and 25 hospitalizations, with nine people in ICU. The health unit is only updating data Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Of the eligible population five years and older, 90 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 86 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.