COVID patients in Ontario ICUs dips below 200 for first time in 2022

For the first time this year, there are fewer than 200 COVID patients in Ontario's ICU beds. 

Ontario hospitals are caring for 644 COVID-positive patients, including 199 patients in intensive care with COVID-related illnesses. The last time COVID ICU admissions were below 200 was Dec. 29, 2021, according to provincial reporting. 

There were more than 600 COVID patients in ICUs at the end of January.

Today the province reported 13 new COVID deaths that occurred in the last month, and six more that occurred more than one month ago.

Over the course of the pandemic, province has reported 12,307 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 1,131,941 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 1,104,237 cases recovered or resolved.

There were 2,395 more recoveries and 2,398 new cases confirmed through lab testing in today's report. New case counts are underestimated due to limited testing.

The March 17 updates provided by the province's public health agency and the ministry of health also reported the following data:

Hospitalizations

• 644 COVID-positive patients in hospitals, down from 649 reported yesterday. Of those, 53 per cent were admitted because of COVID-19 related illness and 47 per cent were admitted for unrelated reasons but still test positive for COVID-19.
• Among the hospitalized patients are 113 unvaccinated people, 17 partially vaccinated people, and 389 fully vaccinated people.
• 199 people are in ICU because of COVID-related critical illness, down from 204 reported yesterday. Of those, 48 no longer test positive for COVID-19.
• There are 97 patients on ventilators because of COVID-related critical illness.
• Among the patients in ICU are 35 unvaccinated people, four partially vaccinated people, and 66 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

Testing 

• Provincial labs processed 14,648 tests for the latest report, resulting in a 12.3 per cent positivity rate. 

Northern Ontario

In the north, there are 117 hospitalizations, up from 114 yesterday, according to provincial data. There are 19 people in ICU with the virus, which is the same as yesterday, and eight people on ventilators, down from nine yesterday. 

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

• Algoma Public Health: The health unit has reported 5,931 cases, 371 known active cases and 15 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 4,227 cases, 108 known active cases and seven 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 6,007 cases, 271 known active cases and nine 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, 53 per cent have a booster.
• Public Health Sudbury and Districts: The health unit has reported 12,347 cases, 335 known active cases and 50 hospitalizations, with two 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 1,288 cases, 37 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 5,663 cases and 196 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 9,387 cases, 163 known active cases and 28 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.