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506 COVID patients in Ontario ICUs, province reports 89 new deaths

Limited testing captures 5,368 new cases Wednesday
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Today the province is reporting about 506 people in Ontario intensive care units because of COVID-19. 

Another 89 people have died after contracting COVID-19, according to the latest update. 

There are 4,016 COVID-positive people currently hospitalized and about 2,236 of them were hospitalized because of COVID. The rest were hospitalized for other reasons but test positive for COVID-19. 

On Jan. 26, Public Health Ontario is reporting 5,368 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 1,010,247 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 942,158 recoveries and 11,160 deaths.

The Jan. 26 updates provided by the province's public health agency and the ministry of health also reported the following data:

Cases

  • 9,913 recoveries and 89 deaths since yesterday's report. The deaths reported have all occurred within the last month.
  • There are 56,929 active, lab-confirmed cases in Ontario
  • Among the new cases confirmed today are 801 unvaccinated people, 191 partially vaccinated people, and 3,805 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 37 cases per 100,000 fully vaccinated people. 
  • Lab-confirmed testing is mostly limited to those who live 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

  • 4,016 people are in hospital testing positive for COVID-19. Of those, 56 per cent (about 2,236 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 608 patients in Ontario ICUs with COVID. Of those, 83 per cent (about 506 patients) were admitted because of COVID-19 and the other 17 per cent were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for COVID.
  • There are 367 COVID patients on ventilators.
  • Among the patients in the ICU, 206 are unvaccinated, 20 are partially vaccinated, and 232 are fully vaccinated.
  • Among those hospitalized but not in the ICU are 752 unvaccinated patients, 216 partially vaccinated patients, and 1,818 fully vaccinated patients. 

Testing

  • Provincial labs processed 33,687 tests yesterday resulting in a 14.1 per cent positivity rate. There are 20,190 tests still being processed.

The cumulative average incidence rate in the province is 6,856.6 cases per 100,000 people in Ontario.

Ontario's average seven-day incidence rate from Jan. 16 to Jan. 22 was 298.1 cases per 100,000 people, which decreased 34.8 per cent over the seven-day period starting on Jan. 10.

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

Northern Ontario 

In the north there are currently 182 people with COVID-19 in hospital, which is the same as yesterday, according to provincial data. There are 31 people in ICU, down from 34 yesterday, and 12 people on ventilators, down from 16 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 3,459 cases, 589 known active cases and 21 current hospitalizations, including one person who is from out of region but in Algoma. 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 2,650 cases, 205 known active cases and two 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 4,077 cases and 673 known active cases. The health unit does not report hospitalizations. At Timmins and District Hospital there are 22 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 8,755 cases and 769 known active cases. It is only updating its numbers Monday, Wednesday and Friday. There are 63 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, 83 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 3,127 cases, 300 known active cases and no 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 6,315 cases, 355 known active cases and 47 hospitalizations, including eight 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.