Ontario reports 1,616 new COVID-19 cases, including 41 in greater Kawarthas region

Regional active cases jump to 254 with 17 new cases in Peterborough, 10 in Kawartha Lakes, 10 in Hastings Prince Edward, and 4 in Northumberland

COVID-19 lab test swabs. (Stock photo)

Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.

With Ontario reporting 1,588 new cases today, the second straight day of cases under 2,000, and a continued decline in hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and ventilated patients, there are signs the third wave is waning in some parts of the province.

The Ministry of Health has released a 21-page draft guidance document that would allow overnight camps and education centres to operate this summer, provided they have a safety plan in place approved by their local health unit, and Ontario’s chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams has said hospitals will gradually be allowed to resume elective surgeries if they have the capacity to do so.

Only 3 of Ontario’s 34 health units (Toronto, Peel, and Ottawa) are reporting triple-digit case increases, with York dropping below 100 cases for the first time since early March. The seven-day average of daily cases has decreased to 2,183, and the proportion of active cases has fallen for the 30th straight day.

Ontario has now administered over 7.4 million doses of vaccine, with more than 50% of Ontario’s total population having received at least a single dose of vaccine. A record number of more than 14,682 people were fully vaccinated yesterday.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 41 new cases to report (including 17 in Peterborough, 10 in Kawartha Lakes, 10 in Hastings Prince Edward, and 4 in Northumberland), with an additional 22 cases resolved. Active cases have jumped in Peterborough with a small increase in Kawartha Lakes and have decreased elsewhere, with the net number of active cases across the region increasing by 16 to 254.

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Most of the new cases reported today are in Toronto (524), Peel (335), and Ottawa (105).

There are double-digit increases reported today in York (94), Durham (62), Windsor-Essex (56), Middlesex-London (51), Halton (49), Niagara (48), Hamilton (34), Simcoe Muskoka (27), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (26), Waterloo (21), Brant (18), Eastern Ontario (14), Southwestern (14), Peterborough (12), and Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (10), with smaller increases in North Bay Parry Sound (9), Haldimand-Norfolk (9), Porcupine (8), Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (8), Huron Perth (8), Hastings Prince Edward (7), and Chatham-Kent (6).

The remaining 9 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with all health units reporting at least 1 case.

Of today’s new cases, 59% are among people 39 and younger, with the highest number of cases (633) among people ages 20-39 followed by 447 cases among people ages 40-59 and 304 cases among people 19 and under.

With 3,119 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.3% to at 93.8% — the 30th straight day the percentage of resolved cases has increased. The average positivity rate across Ontario has dropped by 2.4% to 5.2%, meaning that 52 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on May 18.

Ontario is reporting 19 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 3 new deaths in long-term care homes. Ontario has averaged 22 new daily deaths over the past week, a decrease of 1 from yesterday.

Hospitalizations have decreased by 83 to 1,401, with the number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs falling by 29 to 635 and the number of patients with COVID-19 on ventilators decreasing by 20 to 539.

A total of 38,422 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation increasing by 5,766 to 26,091.

A total of 7,431,638 doses of vaccine have now been administered, an increase of 145,461 from yesterday, and 456,784 people have been fully vaccinated with both doses of vaccine, a record increase of 14,682 from yesterday.

The number of fully vaccinated people represents 3.1% of Ontario’s population, an increase of 0.10% from yesterday, with fully and partially vaccinated people representing 50.44% of the total population, an increase of 0.99% from yesterday. An estimated 70-90% of the population must be immunized to achieve herd immunity.

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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 41 new cases to report, including 17 in Peterborough, 10 in Kawartha Lakes, 10 in Hastings Prince Edward, and 4 in Northumberland. There are no new cases in Haliburton.

An outbreak at Peterborough Day Care Centre in the City of Peterborough was declared on May 18. An outbreak at Campbellford Farm Supply LTD was declared on May 18.

There are 2 new hospitalizations in Hastings Prince Edward and 2 new hospitalizations in Northumberland.

There are 34 new regional cases of variants of concern, including 15 in Hastings Prince Edward, 12 in Peterborough, 8 in Northumberland, and 6 in Kawartha Lakes.

An additional 22 cases have been resolved, including 11 in Hastings Prince Edward, 5 in Northumberland, 3 in Peterborough, and 3 in Kawartha Lakes.

There are currently 254 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, an increase of 16 from yesterday, including 121 in Peterborough, 54 in Hastings Prince Edward (13 in Quinte West, 17 in Belleville, 1 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, 4 in Prince Edward County, 16 in Central Hastings, and 3 in North Hastings), 43 in Kawartha Lakes, 29 in Northumberland, and 7 in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,423 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,284 resolved with 18 deaths), 839 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (753 resolved with 56 deaths), 885 in Northumberland County (840 resolved with 16 deaths), 118 in Haliburton County (110 resolved with 1 death), and 1,081 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,017 resolved with 10 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Peterborough on May 16.

The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 4 p.m. the previous day, as well as from systems in Toronto, Ottawa, and Middlesex-London at 2 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).

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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, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 1,423 (increase of 18)*
Total variants of concern cases: 605 (increase of 12)
Active cases: 121 (increase of 15)
Close contacts: 373 (increase of 13)
Deaths: 18 (no change)
Resolved: 1,284 (increase of 3)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 63 (no change)**
ICU admissions (total to date): 13 (no change)
Total tests completed: Over 51,600 (increase of 50)
Total vaccine doses administered (residents and non-residents): 66,045 (increase of 5,618 as of May 14)
Number of residents who have received first dose: 60,524
Number of residents fully vaccinated: 4,575 (increase of 154 as of May 14)
Outbreaks: Unidentified congregate living facility #3 in the City of Peterborough, Helping Hands Day Care in Peterborough County, Unidentified workplace #9 in Peterborough County, Unidentified workplace #10 in Peterborough County, Peterborough Day Care Centre in the City of Peterborough (increase of 1)***

*The health unit is reporting 17 new cases in the last 24 hours. The total case count has increased by 18 because 1 case has been added to a previous day.

**As of May 19, Peterborough Regional Health Centre is reporting 8 patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19 (no change) and a total of 75 patients transferred from other areas as a result of a provincial directive (increase of 2).

***An outbreak at Peterborough Day Care Centre in the City of Peterborough was declared on May 18.

 

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 Saturday, excluding Sundays and statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 1,842, including 839 in Kawartha Lakes, 885 in Northumberland, and 118 in Haliburton (increase of 14, including 10 in Kawartha Lakes and 4 in Northumberland)*
Total variants of concern cases: 545, including 222 in Kawartha Lakes, 290 in Northumberland, and 33 in Haliburton (increase of 14, including 6 in Kawartha Lakes and 8 in Northumberland)
Active cases: 79, including 43 in Kawartha Lakes, 29 in Northumberland, and 7 in Haliburton (net increase of 2)
Probable cases: None (decrease of 1 in Kawartha Lakes)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 70, including 36 in Kawartha Lakes, 31 in Northumberland, and 3 in Haliburton (increase of 2 in Northumberland)**
Deaths (including among probable cases): 73, including 56 in Kawartha Lakes, 16 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change)
Resolved: 1,703, including 753 in Kawartha Lakes, 840 in Northumberland, and 110 in Haliburton (increase of 7, including 3 in Kawartha Lakes and 5 in Northumberland)
Tests completed: 189,415 (increase of 578)
Vaccine doses administered to residents: 85,785 (increase of 6,353 as of May 17)
Number of residents fully vaccinated: 4,877 (increase of 415 as of May 17)
Outbreaks: Staples and Swain Law Office in Lindsay, OPP Offender Transport Lindsay, Dairy Queen in Lindsay, Unit 5 and kitchen at Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Campbellford Farm Supply LTD (increase of 1)***

*The health unit states that total counts and counts for individual counties may fluctuate from previously reported counts as cases are transferred to or from the health unit based on case investigation details and routine data cleaning.

**As of May 19, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay reports 4 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (decrease of 1).

***An outbreak at Campbellford Farm Supply LTD was declared on May 18.

 

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 daily reports, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 1,081 (increase of 10)
Confirmed variants of concern cases: 441 (increase of 15)
Active cases: 54 (decrease of 1)
Deaths: 10 (no change)
Currently hospitalized: 16 (increase of 2)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 6 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 5 (no change)
Resolved: 1,017 (increase of 11)
Tests completed: 139,865 (increase of 9)
Vaccine doses administered: 77,924 (increase of 3,124)
Number of people fully vaccinated: 6,225 (increase of 199)
Outbreaks: Quinte 5 at QHC Belleville General Hospital, Unidentified child care facility in Belleville, Unidentified workplace in Belleville, Unidentified workplace in Central Hastings, Community outbreak in Hastings Highlands in North Hastings (no change)

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 514,690 (increase of 1,588)
COVID-19 variants of concern (VOC) cases: 112,759 of B.1.1.7 UK variant (increase of 1,803); 683 of B.1.351 South Africa variant (increase of 2); 2,059 of P.1 Brazilian variant (increase of 28)
VOC R(t): 0.84 (decrease of 0.03 as May 14)*
7-day average of daily new cases: 2,183 (decrease of 104)
Positivity rate: 5.2% (decrease of 2.4%)
Resolved: 482,749 (increase of 3,119), 93.8% of all cases (increase of 0.3%)
Hospitalizations: 1,401 (decrease of 83)
Hospitalizations in ICU: 735 (decrease of 29)
Hospitalizations in ICU on ventilator: 539 (decrease of 20)
Deaths: 8,525 (increase of 19)
7-day average of daily new deaths: 22 (decrease of 1)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 3,943 (increase of 3)
Total tests completed: 14,856,381 (increase of 38,422)
Tests under investigation: 26,091 (increase of 5,766)
Vaccination doses administered: 7,431,638 (increase of 145,461), 50.44% of Ontario’s population (increase of 0.99%)**
People fully vaccinated (two doses): 456,784 (increase of 14,682), 3.10% of Ontario’s population (increase of 0.10%)**

*R(t) is a virus’s effective reproduction number, which is the average number of new infections caused by a single infected individual at a specific time (t) in a partially immunized population. To successfully eliminate a disease from a population, R(t) needs to be less than 1.

**An estimated 70-90% of the population must be immunized to achieve herd immunity.

COVID-19 cases in Ontario from April 18 - May 18, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from April 18 – May 18, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from April 18 - May 18, 2021. The red line is the daily number of tests completed, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from April 18 – May 18, 2021. The red line is the daily number of tests completed, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from April 18 - May 18, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day rolling average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from April 18 – May 18, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day rolling average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from April 18 - May 18, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from April 18 – May 18, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from April 18 - May 18, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from April 18 – May 18, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)

 

For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.