The death rate among COVID-19 ICU patients is triple the pre-pandemic rate: data from Ontario. 1,034 patients have died while critically ill from CO VID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.
“That’s just a shocking number,” says Dr. Michael Warner, Critical Care Medical Director at Michael Garron Hospital in Toronto. A new report says that nearly two-thirds of COVID patients who died in ICUs were in their 60s or 70s.
During Ontario’s second pandemic wave (618 since Sept. 1), more patients died than in the first one (416 patients before Sept.1) During each wave, the fatality rates were comparable: 34% during the first wave, and 29% in the second wave so far.
According to the Ontario Hospital Association, there have been nearly 600 patient transfers to spread the burden around. In ICUs around the province, the total number of COVID-19 patients grew steadily through the fall and peaked on Jan. 12.
Modelling earlier this month had indicated that by early February, the province could have 600 to 800 patients in intensive care. At a Thursday afternoon news conference, officials are scheduled to provide updated pandemic modelling.
Source CBC
