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491 COVID patients in Ontario ICUs, province reports 70 deaths Thursday

Limited testing captures 5,852 new cases, and about 2,041 people are hospitalized because of COVID
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Today the province is reporting about 491 people in Ontario intensive care units because of COVID-19. 

Another 70 people have died after contracting COVID-19, according to the latest update. 

There are 3,645 COVID-positive people currently hospitalized and about 2,041 of them were hospitalized because of COVID. The rest were hospitalized for other reasons but test positive for COVID-19. 

On Jan. 27, Public Health Ontario is reporting 5,852 new COVID cases, however, new case counts no longer reflect COVID-19 transmission in the province as testing is reserved nearly exclusively for hospitalized patients, and residents and staff at high-risk congregate settings. 

Public Health Ontario has confirmed 1,016,099 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 950,795 recoveries and 11,230 deaths.

The Jan. 27 updates provided by the province's public health agency and the ministry of health also reported the following data:

Cases

  • 8,637 recoveries and 70 deaths since yesterday's report. The deaths reported have all occurred within the last month.
  • There are 54,074 active, lab-confirmed cases in Ontario
  • Among the new cases confirmed today are 960 unvaccinated people, 236 partially vaccinated people, and 4,004 fully vaccinated people. 
  • The seven-day average incidence rate for cases is 35 cases per 100,000 unvaccinated people, 25 cases per 100,000 partially vaccinated people, and 34 cases per 100,000 fully vaccinated people. 
  • Lab-confirmed testing is mostly limited to Indigenous people and those who live or work in high-risk congregate care settings or work in them. As such a majority of the people being tested are fully vaccinated as per provincial or workplace mandatory vaccine policies.

Hospitalizations

  • 3,645 people are in hospital testing positive for COVID-19. Of those, 56 per cent (about 2,041 people) were hospitalized because of COVID-19 and the other 44 per cent were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for COVID. 
  • There are 599 patients in Ontario ICUs with COVID. Of those, 82 per cent (about 491 patients) were admitted because of COVID-19 and the other 18 per cent were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for COVID.
  • There are 366 COVID patients on ventilators.
  • Among the patients in the ICU, 204 are unvaccinated, 19 are partially vaccinated, and 221 are fully vaccinated.
  • Among those hospitalized but not in the ICU are 706 unvaccinated patients, 165 partially vaccinated patients, and 1,861 fully vaccinated patients. 

Testing

  • Provincial labs processed 33,560 tests yesterday resulting in a 14.1 per cent positivity rate. There are 17,276 tests still being processed.

The cumulative average incidence rate in the province is 6,896.3 cases per 100,000 people in Ontario.

Ontario's average seven-day incidence rate from Jan. 17 to Jan. 23 was 273.5 cases per 100,000 people, which decreased 37.4 per cent over the seven-day period starting on Jan. 11.

For more on the province's breakdown of vaccination status, click here.

Northern Ontario 

In the north there are currently 186 people with COVID-19 in hospital, which is up from 182 yesterday, according to provincial data. There are 32 people in ICU, up from 31 yesterday, and 14 people on ventilators, up from 12 yesterday. The regional data is not broken down to clarify the number of people in hospital for a COVID-related reason and who was admitted to hospital for another reason then tested positive.

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

  • Algoma Public Health: The health unit has reported 3,520 cases, 607 known active cases and 22 current hospitalizations. Of the eligible population five years and older, 88 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 82 per cent have both doses. Of the population 18 years and older, 55 per cent have a booster.
  • North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit: The health unit has reported 2,697 cases, 209 known active cases and three hospitalizations. Of the eligible population five years and older, 85 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 80 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 54 per cent have a booster.
  • Porcupine Health Unit: The health unit has reported 4,116 cases and 500 known active cases. The health unit does not report hospitalizations. At Timmins and District Hospital there are 21 patients with COVID-19, five of whom were admitted for virus-related reasons. Of the eligible population five years and older, 87 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 80 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 49 per cent have a booster.
  • Public Health Sudbury and Districts: The health unit has reported 8,970 cases and 718 known active cases. It is only updating its numbers Monday, Wednesday and Friday. There are 56 COVID-positive patients at Health Sciences North, including four in ICU. Of the eligible population five years and older, 88 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, 52 per cent have a booster.
  • Timiskaming Health Unit: The health unit has reported 986 cases, 78 known active cases, and eight hospitalizations, with four people in ICU. Of the eligible population five years and older, 85 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 79 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 55 per cent have a booster.
  • Northwestern Health Unit: The health unit has reported 3,227 cases, 369 known active cases and three hospitalizations. Of the eligible population five years and older, 95 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 86 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 55 per cent have a booster.
  • Thunder Bay District Health Unit: The health unit has reported 6,446 cases, 302 known active cases and 44 hospitalizations, including 10 people in ICU. The health unit is only updating data Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Of the eligible population five years and older, 88 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, 51 per cent have a booster.

The data from Northern Ontario health units is based on what was available at 10:30 a.m. today.