In the last week, the province reported 985 hospitalizations, of which 118 were in intensive care. Of these ICU patients, 48 required the use of a ventilator to breathe. Thirty-nine people died last week from the new coronavirus. An average of 29 to 35 weekly deaths have been reported over the past three weeks. In its latest weekly epidemiological summary, released Thursday, Public Health Ontario says cases are increasing in 31 of the province’s 34 public health units. According to the latest weekly epidemiological summary from Public Health Ontario, the positivity rate is on the rise, rising to 14.9 per cent on July 14 from 13.2 per cent reported last week. The volume of tests increased to 64,861 last week from 56,642 tests the previous week. (Public Health Ontario) Testing, contact tracing and outbreak management have been limited to high-risk populations since January. While these are confirmed numbers, cases in the province are likely much higher due to limited testing. “The metrics in this report underestimate the extent of COVID-19 activity in Ontario,” the PHO report says. But among those tests since July 14, the positivity rate is 14.9 percent — up from 13.2 percent at the end of last week and 11.2 percent two weeks ago. The new number is the highest reported since April. The latest report focuses on the week of July 3-9 compared to the previous week of June 26-July 2. The comparison shows an increase in almost every metric. Weekly cases among those eligible for testing rose by about 30 percent. People 80 years and older have higher rates of hospitalizations and deaths compared to other age groups. Cases in high-risk settings, including long-term care homes and congregate care, have increased by 87 percent this week. The province reported 42 cases in long-term care facilities last week, 110 percent higher than the 20 reported two weeks ago.
Moderna vaccines for younger children are expected late next week
Meanwhile, Ontario expects to receive supplies of COVID-19 vaccines for children between the ages of six months and five years by “the end of next week.” A spokesman for Health Minister Sylvia Jones said the province expects supply of Moderna’s pediatric COVID-19 vaccine to come from the federal government until then, now that the vaccine has been approved in Canada. The news from Ontario follows a federal announcement that Health Canada has approved Moderna’s two-dose pediatric vaccine for young children. The medicines regulator says the vaccine can be given in doses of a quarter of the approved adult size, with an interval of around four weeks between shots. As of 8 a.m. Thursday, adults ages 18 to 59 who received their first booster at least five months ago could book their next shot through the province’s online portal. Appointments were also available through pharmacies, public health unit booking systems and clinics. The Director of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said he expected the current wave of infections to peak in the next two weeks. Moore also announced expanded eligibility Wednesday, but indicated that young people without underlying conditions may choose to wait until the fall, when vaccines that specifically target the Omicron variant will hopefully become available. He added that Ontarians should talk to their health care provider about whether a fourth dose is right for them and said people are advised to wait at least three months after contracting COVID-19 to get a booster shot .
