Ontario reports jump in COVID-positive hospitalization patients

The number of COVID-positive hospital patients in Ontario has jumped back up to rates reported more than three weeks ago. 

Today's update from the province indicates 790 COVID-positive patients in hospital, which is around the same amount reported at the end of Feburary and beginning of March. Since then hospitalization numbers had been slowly decreasing, dipping as low as 551 last week.

Seven more COVID deaths have been confirmed in the latest provincial COVID update, bringing the total number of deaths since March 1 to 214.

Over the course of the pandemic, the province has reported 12,414 deaths that were either caused by COVID, COVID was a contributing factor to the death, or the cause of death was unknown or missing. 

There were 1,683 more recoveries and 1,610 new cases confirmed through lab testing in today's report. New case counts are underestimated due to limited testing.

As of today, Public Health Ontario has confirmed 1,156,656 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 1,124,888 cases recovered or resolved.

The March 29 updates provided by the province's public health agency and the ministry of health also reported the following data:

Hospitalizations

• 790 COVID-positive patients in hospitals, up from 655 reported yesterday. Of those, 47 per cent were admitted because of COVID-19 and 53 per cent were admitted for unrelated reasons, but tested positive for COVID-19. 
• Among the hospitalized patients (not in the ICU) are 153 unvaccinated people, 32 partially vaccinated people, and 470 fully vaccinated people. 
• 165 people are in ICU because of COVID-related critical illness, up from 158 reported yesterday. Of those, 34 no longer test positive for COVID-19.
• There are 84 patients on ventilators because of COVID-related critical illness.
• Included in the ICU hospitalizations are 23 unvaccinated people, two partially vaccinated people, and 61 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 7.1 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 

• Ontario labs processed 12,302 tests for the latest report, resulting in a 14.4 per cent positivity.

Northern Ontario 

In the north, there are 109 hospitalizations, up from 103 yesterday, according to provincial data. There are 14 people in ICU with the virus, up from 12 yesterday, and six people on ventilators, up from seven yesterday.

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

• Algoma Public Health: The health unit has reported 6,547 cases, 454 known active cases and 17 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 4,442 cases, 104 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 6,229 cases, 218 known active cases and four 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 12,899 cases, 299 known active cases and 32 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 1,391 cases, 55 known active cases, and three 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 6,491 cases and 218 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 9,734 cases, 119 known active cases and 25 hospitalizations, with six 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 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.