Ontario reports 427 new cases of COVID-19 today

Public Health Ontario has reported another 427 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 today, which is an increase of 1.9 per cent to the number of cases confirmed in Ontario since the start of the pandemic. 

The provincial agency is also reporting 15 deaths related to COVID-19 in today’s epidemiological update. 

The most recent deaths include two people between the ages of 40 and 59, six people between the ages of 60 and 79, and six people over the age of 80. The age of one of the victims was not specified.

There are currently 987 people hospitalized with COVID-19, including 167 patients in intensive care, and 123 patients on ventilators. 

There have also been 260 new recoveries reported. According to the public health daily update, those recoveries are reported once a 14 days have passed since the onset of symptoms and the person is not hospitalized. In some of those cases, individuals may still be experiencing symptoms. 

The province has indicated there were 5,813 tests results processed on Sunday, with another 2,294 tests awaiting results. The total number of tests processed in Ontario labs is 559,794.

Since the start of the pandemic, Public Health Ontario has confirmed 23,384 cases of COVID-19, including 4,235 cases reported to be long-term care residents (18.1 per cent), and 1,456 cases (6.2 per cent) reported as health care workers who are employed in a long-term care facility where there has been an outbreak. 

Of the total cases confirmed in Ontario, 17,898 people (76.5 per cent) are reported as recovered and 1,919 people (8.2 per cent) have died. 

Public Health Ontario has reported 1,115 deaths of long-term care residents (58 per cent of all Ontario deaths reported), and three deaths of health care workers employed at long-term care homes. 

However, the Ministry of Long-Term Care for the province has reported higher numbers with 190 outbreaks in homes, 2,538 confirmed cases in long-term care residents, and 1,615 cases in long-term care staff. The ministry is also reporting 1,408 deaths of long-term care residents and five deaths of staff. 

Data is self-reported to the ministry by long-term care homes, but Public Health Ontario is extracting data from a database populated by local public health units. Public Health Ontario is therefore behind the ministry in reporting numbers. 

Public Health Ontario is reporting 220 ongoing outbreaks at long-term care homes, 81 ongoing outbreaks at retirement homes, and 54 ongoing outbreaks at hospitals. Those totals do not include outbreaks reported resolved. 

As of Friday, May 15, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has confirmed 406 cases of COVID-19 in the Simcoe-Muskoka region, including 263 recoveries and 32 deaths. There are nine residents from the region hospitalized. The health unit has stated it will provide an update to local cases today. 

Public Health Ontario is reporting there are 431 cases in the Simcoe-Muskoka region.

The case rate (including lab-confirmed cases only) for Simcoe-Muskoka region is 71.9 cases per 100,000 population. The provincial average is 157.3 cases per 100,000 population.