Ontario’s COVID-19 hospitalizations are up more than 11 per cent in the last week as the province reports two additional deaths due to the virus.
Provincial officials are reporting 1,455 patients in hospital due to COVID-19, however, that number is likely underreported as not all hospitals submit their numbers on the weekend.
The number of patients in the ICU now sits at 219, up from 202 one week ago. There are 97 patients in the ICU on a ventilator.
With the two new deaths, the total number of people who have died from the virus in the province now sits at 12,736.
Source: @jkwan_md
The province is reporting 2,028 new infections but officials say that number is underreported due to limitations placed on Ontario’s testing capacity.
There were 13,247 tests completed in the last 24-hour period for a test positivity rate of 15.3 per cent. It is the lowest test positivity rate since the end of March.
Ontario’s wastewater signal suggests sixth wave cases have likely peaked and are now starting to plateau. Some health experts have suggested the province may see another bump after holiday gatherings that took place over the recent long weekend.
Source: Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table
Last week, the Ford government extended the remaining mask mandate in high-risk settings in Ontario until at least June 11.
The rule requiring masks in health-care settings, long-term care homes, shelters and public transit was set to expire on April 27, but the government announced on Friday it would be pushed back as the province deals with a sixth wave of COVID- 19 infections.