For the third day in a row, Ontario verified 34 more COVID-19 deaths and fewer than 1,100 patients hospitalized with the virus.
The Ministry of Health announced on Saturday that 31 of the deaths happened in the previous month, with three more deaths being added to the total death toll.
Since March 2020, 12,420 people have died as a result of the infection.
The virus has infected 1,024 individuals in hospitals across the province, down from 1,191 admissions a week ago.
Yesterday, the province reported 1,003 COVID-19 hospitalizations- the lowest daily total so far in 2022.
About 46 per cent of hospitalized patients were admitted for COVID-19 and 53 per cent were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for the virus.
Of those in hospital, 284 patients are in intensive care, down from 329 a week ago.
Over 81 per cent of ICU patients were admitted to hospital for COVID-19 and 18 per cent were admitted for other reasons but tested positive.
Provincial labs processed more than 16,000 tests in the past 24 hours, resulting in a positivity rate of 10.7 per cent, compared to 11.8 per cent a week ago, according to the ministry.
Ontario reported 2,338 lab-confirmed coronavirus cases on Saturday, but health officials warn that the case count is an underestimate due to testing restrictions.
Among the latest cases, 1,821 of the individuals are fully vaccinated, 261 are unvaccinated, 78 are partially vaccinated and 178 have an unknown vaccination status.
So far, nearly 90 per cent of eligible Ontarians aged five years and older have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, 85 per cent have received two doses and 49 per cent have received three doses.
On March 1, the province is set to scrap its proof-of-vaccination system as part of its reopening plan.
Last week, all capacity limits were lifted in most settings that require proof of vaccination as hospitalizations continue to steadily decline.
Health officials have also said that mask mandates will be lifted “simultaneously” across most sectors and that an announcement on the matter could be made in the coming weeks.
To date, there have been 1,098,695 lab-confirmed coronavirus cases and 1,067,714 recoveries since Jan. 2020.
Source_ The Canadian Press
