As the province prepares to relax all capacity limits in most indoor settings this week, it has reported 19 additional virus-related deaths and almost 1,500 hospitalizations.
According to a representative for the Ministry of Health, the most recent deaths happened in the last 24 days, with one fatality yesterday, six on February 13, and four on February 12.
Since March 2020, a total of 12,120 virus-related deaths have been confirmed.
In Ontario, 1,550 patients have been admitted to hospitals with the virus, up from 1,369 yesterday but down from 2,254 a week ago.
Fifty-four per cent of those hospitalized were admitted for COVID-19 and 46 per cent were admitted for other reasons but have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Health Minister Christine Elliott.
Of those hospitalized, 384 are in intensive care units, compared to 474 a week ago.
Elliott says 79.5 per cent of ICU patients were admitted to the ICU for COVID-19 and 20.5 per cent were admitted for other reasons but have tested positive for the virus.
Ontario confirmed 1,593 lab-confirmed coronavirus cases today, but health officials say this is an underestimate due to PCR testing restrictions and the province’s unwillingness to document cases detected by rapid antigen tests conducted at home.
Provincial labs processed more than 12,900 tests in the past 24 hours, producing a positivity rate of 11.9 per cent, according to the ministry.
Ontario confirmed 1,593 lab-confirmed coronavirus cases today, but health officials say this is an underestimate due to testing restrictions.
Among the latest cases, 998 of the individuals are fully vaccinated, 260 are unvaccinated, 59 are partially vaccinated and 276 have an unknown vaccination status.
So far, 89 per cent of Ontarians aged five years and older have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, 85 per cent have received two doses and 48 per cent have received three doses.
To date, there have been 1,076,078 lab-confirmed coronavirus cases and 1,038,944 recoveries since Jan. 2020.
Yesterday, Premier Doug Ford announced that all capacity limits in most indoor settings will be lifting four days ahead of schedule on Feb. 17, and that the province will be scrapping the proof-of-vaccination system on March 1.
Businesses, on the other hand, have the option to keep using the vaccination certificate system if they so desire.
Additionally, starting Thursday, seating capacity at sports arenas, concert venues, and theaters will be increased by 50%, and social gathering limitations will be increased to 50 people indoors and 100 people outside.
Masking regulations will stay in place, but the province stated a schedule for removing them will be “communicated at a later date.”
Starting Feb. 18, the province will extend booster dosage eligibility to kids aged 12 to 17.
Source_ globalnews.ca
