Ontario COVID-19 ICU patients reach lowest number since November

Ontario is reporting 153 new COVID-19 cases and seven deaths on Wednesday.

It is the sixth straight day the province has reported fewer than 200 new infections.

The test positivity rate is 0.6 per cent, down from 0.9 per cent one week ago.

There were 29,085 tests completed in the last 24-hour period.

Locally, there are 28 new cases in Toronto, 23 in the Region of Waterloo, 20 in Grey Bruce, 19 in Peel Region and 12 in Middlesex-London.

There were another 216 resolved cases, dropping the active case count. Monday was the only day in the last two weeks where new infections have outnumbered resolved cases.

The rolling seven-day average has dropped to 164, reaching the lowest point since Sept. 9.

The province reported 146 new cases and seven deaths on Tuesday.

There are now 180 people in the ICU with COVID-19 complications and 116 ICU patients on a ventilator. ICU numbers have now dropped to the lowest point since Nov. 30.

There were 179,197 COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the last 24-hour period.

As of 8 p.m. Tuesday, 17,475,655 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered across the province – 78.8 per cent of Ontario residents 12 and older have received at least one dose while 56.3 per cent are now fully vaccinated.

Ontario’s top doctor once again repeated his call on Tuesday that even the youngest of residents get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Moore says there remains a lack of uptake among younger crowds aged 12 to 17, saying that teenagers must be fully protected if schools are to return to in-person learning in September.

Ontario’s top health officials assured residents on Tuesday that mixing vaccines is safe and effective, one day after the World Health Organization (WHO) cautioned against it.

Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Barbara Yaffe says the National Advisory Committee on Immunization’s (NACI) initial recommendation to mix doses was based on several clinical studies from the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany that showed strong immune responses.

In mid-June, NACI advised that people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine as their first dose should get Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna for their second shot.

Canada’s top health officials and the Prime Minister have long recommended mixing vaccines, particularly Moderna and Pfizer – two mRNA treatments readily available to provinces as the country’s vaccination rate soars.

Ontario is set to move into Step 3 of its reopening plan on Friday, which will allow for indoor dining, among the easing of other restrictions.

Moore says everyone must remain vigilant and cautious, adding that masks indoors must be worn at all times with mask-wearing outdoors in large groups also suggested.