174 COVID patients in Ontario ICUs, 90 on ventilators

Nearly 200 Ontarians have died this month after contracting COVID-19.

Between March 1 and 22 in Ontario, 174 people died after contracting COVID-19, and that's including 14 deaths confirmed in today's report.

Over the course of the pandemic, the province has reported 12,356 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 1,143,014 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 1,114,388 cases recovered or resolved.

There were 2,149 more recoveries and 2,149 new cases confirmed through lab testing in today's report. New case counts are underestimated due to limited testing.

The March 23 updates provided by the province's public health agency and the ministry of health also reported the following data:

Hospitalizations

• 611 COVID-positive patients in hospitals. Of those, approximately half were admitted because of COVID-19, and half were admitted for unrelated reasons but test positive for COVID-19.
• Among those hospitalized are 117 unvaccinated people, 26 partially vaccinated people, and 370 fully vaccinated people.
• 174 people are in ICU because of COVID-related critical illness, down from 179 reported yesterday. Of those, 43 no longer test positive for COVID-19.
• There are 90 patients on ventilators because of COVID-related critical illness.
• Included in the ICU total are 33 unvaccinated people, two partially vaccinated people, and 56 fully vaccinated people.

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

Northern Ontario

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

• Algoma Public Health: The health unit has reported 6,238 cases, 401 known active cases and 16 hospitalizations, with four 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 4,322 cases, 84 known active cases and 10 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, 59 per cent have a booster.
• Porcupine Health Unit: The health unit has reported 6,110 cases, 282 known active cases and eight hospitalizations, with one person in ICU. 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 12,552 cases, 268 known active cases and 37 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 1,332 cases, 44 known active cases, and no 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 6,233 cases and 258 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 9,614 cases, 138 known active cases and 25 hospitalizations, including seven 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.