Ontario reports 847 new COVID cases Wednesday

Public Health Ontario has reported 847 new cases of COVID-19 today (Feb. 17).

Today's report includes 1,456 new recoveries and 10 new deaths, four were residents at long-term care homes.

Of the deaths reported today, two were individuals between 40 and 59 years old, three were between 60 and 79 years old, and five were over the age of 80. 

The province has reported 51 new hospitalizations since yesterday, and three new admissions of COVID-19 patients to intensive care units.

The Feb. 17 update provided by the province's public health agency also reported the following data:

• 10,985 active cases, which is down from 11,604 yesterday
• 719 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Ontario, down from 742 reported yesterday. 
• There are 298 COVID patients in intensive care units (up from 292) and 211 COVID patients on ventilators (up from 201 yesterday).
• The province reported 33,977 tests were processed yesterday resulting in a three per cent positivity rate.
• Another 33,730 tests are still under investigation and/or being processed. To date, 10.4 million tests have been completed.
• Of the 847 new cases reported today, 257 are from Toronto, 170 cases are from Peel, 131 are from York Region, and 26 are from Simcoe-Muskoka
• There are 156 active outbreaks at long-term care homes, 92 at retirement homes and 47 at hospitals. 
• Of the cases reported today there are 134 people under 19 years old, 314 people between 20 and 39 years old, 255 people between 40 and 59 years old, 113 people between 60 and 79 years old, and 33 people over the age of 80. 

Variant of concern

• The province has reported 228 lab-confirmed cases of the UK variant strain of COVID-19 (B.1.1.7). 
• The province has reported six cases of B.1.351 (also known as the South African variant).
• The province has reported 1 case of P.1, which is the variant strain that originated in Brazil. 
• According to Public Health Ontario, there are delays between specimen collection and the testing required to confirm a variant of concern. As such, the reports can change and can differ from past case counts publicly reported.

Vaccine update for Feb. 17:

• There were 9,107 doses of vaccines against COVID-19 administered on Feb 16, which is up from 5,053 administered on Feb. 15. 
• As of 8 p.m. on Feb. 16, the province reported 489,484 doses of vaccine against COVID-19 have been administered.
• In total, 195,366 people have been fully vaccinated, having received two doses of vaccine, which are to be given a few weeks apart.

Public Health Ontario has confirmed 288,583 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 270,869 recoveries and 6,729 deaths, of which 3,807 were individuals living in long-term care homes.

The cumulative average incidence rate in the province is 1,941.4 cases per 100,000 people in Ontario.

The weekly incidence rate in Ontario is 52.4 cases per 100,000 people from Feb. 7 to Feb. 13, which is a decrease of 16.8 per cent compared to Feb. 1 to Feb. 7 when the average weekly incidence rate was 63 cases per 100,000 people.

In Northern Ontario, the breakdown of Public Health Ontario data is:

• Algoma Public Health: 195 cases, rate of 170.4 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 193 cases. There are 12 known active cases. 
• North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit: 233 cases, rate of 179.6 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 236 cases. There are 29 known active cases. There is one confirmed case of the South African (B.1.351) variant of concern.
• Porcupine Health Unit: 307 cases, rate of 367.9 per 100,000 people. There are 11 known active cases. 
• Public Health Sudbury and Districts: 579 cases, rate of 290.9 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 573 cases. There are 41 known active cases. There are 3 confirmed variants of concern (VOC) cases, both are the UK (B.1.1.7) strain.
• Timiskaming Health Unit: 91 cases, rate of 278.4 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 92 cases. There are no known active cases.
• Northwestern Health Unit: 348 cases, rate of 396.9 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 372 cases. There are 89 known active cases. 
• Thunder Bay District Health Unit: 1,200 cases, rate of 800.2 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 1,223 cases. There are 166 known active cases.