Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 712 new COVID-19 cases today and, with York Region becoming the latest hotspot in the province, the Ontario government has announced that, effective at 12:01 a.m. on Monday (October 19), York Region will join Ottawa, Peel and Toronto public health regions in a modified Stage 2 for the next 28 days.
“This was not an easy decision to make,” Premier Doug Ford said during a media conference at Roche Canada in Mississauga on Friday (October 16). “I know this will be very, very difficult for many people to hear, but we can’t allow this virus to get into our long-term care homes. We need to protect our schools and communities. We need to keep performing vital surgeries in our hospitals. We need to stop the spread before things get worse. We need to avoid a full lockdown.”
York Region has reported an average of 79 new cases over each of the past 4 days, has a positivity rate near 2.8% (well above the provincial average), and has seen a doubling in the number of hospitalizations along with a significant jump in ICU admissions and ventilated patients.
Most of the new cases reported today are in Toronto (213), Peel (135), Ottawa (108), York (62), and Halton (46), with smaller increases in Durham (27), Hamilton (22), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (18), Middlesex-London (12), Windsor-Essex (12), Waterloo (12), Simcoe Muskoka (11), and Lambton (9). The remaining 21 public health units are reporting 5 or fewer cases, with 9 reporting no cases at all.
Of today’s cases, 54% are among people under the age of 40. The positivity rate has decreased by 0.9% to 2% (this means that 2% of the tests that were performed on October 15 were positive for COVID-19). With 713 more cases resolved, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.1% to 85.8%.
There have been 8 new deaths and 8 additional people have been hospitalized since yesterday, for a total of 261, with 5 more people admitted to ICUs and 5 more patients on ventilators. A total of 38,507 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has increased by 841 to 37,155.
The number of new cases in Ontario schools today is 98, a decrease of 2 from yesterday, with 55 student cases, 12 staff cases, and 31 cases among unidentified individuals. There are 11 new cases in licensed child care settings, a decrease of 9 from yesterday, with 7 cases among children and 4 cases among staff.
In the greater Kawarthas region, there is another new case to report in Peterborough, for the third straight day in a row. However, an additional 2 cases have been resolved, leaving 2 active cases. There are also 2 new cases to report in Hastings and Prince Edward counties; however, an additional case has been resolved, leaving 4 active cases. There are no new cases to report in Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, or Haliburton.
None of the new cases in Ontario schools and child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.
There are currently 7 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 2 in Peterborough, 4 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, and 1 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 134 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (130 resolved with 2 deaths), 183 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (164 resolved with 32 deaths), 45 in Northumberland County (44 resolved with 1 death), 19 in Haliburton County (18 resolved with no deaths), and 65 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (56 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on September 8
Province-wide, there have been 62,908 confirmed cases, an increase of 712 from yesterday, with 54,004 (85.8% of all cases) resolved, an increase of 713. There have been 3,031 deaths, an increase of 8 from yesterday, with 1,974 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 4 from yesterday. An additional 8 people have been hospitalized, with 5 more people admitted to ICUs and 5 more patients on ventilators. A total of 4,572,841 tests have been completed, an increase of 38,507 from yesterday, with 37,155 tests under investigation, an increase of 841 from yesterday.
This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.
Peterborough Public Health
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends.
Confirmed positive: 134 (increase of 1)
Active cases: 2 (decrease of 1)
Deaths: 2 (no change)
Resolved: 130 (increase of 2)
Total tests completed: Over 32,700 (increase of 150)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 247, including 183 in Kawartha Lakes, 45 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (no change)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 15 (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 226, including 164 in Kawartha Lakes, 44 in Northumberland, 18 in Haliburton (no change)
Active cases: 1 (no change)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 65 (increase of 2)
Active cases: 4 (increase of 1)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change)
Recovered: 56 (increase of 1)
Total tests completed: 42,542 (increase of 67)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 62,908 (increase of 712)
Resolved: 54,004 (increase of 713, 85.8% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 261 (increase of 8)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 67 (increase of 5)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 36 (increase of 5)
Deaths: 3,031 (increase of 9)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,974 (increase of 5)
Total tests completed: 4,572,841 (increase of 38,507)
Tests under investigation: 37,155 (increase of 841)
For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.
