ICU occupancy hits all-time high as Ontario records 2,333 new COVID-19 infections
More people with COVID are landing in hospital
A day after Premier Doug Ford told Ontarians not to plan on having Easter, the number of people with COVID-19 being treated in intensive care units across the province reached an all-time high.
Health officials said Ontario recorded 2,333 new infections and 15 more deaths on Wednesday.
According to Critical Care Services Ontario, which tracks hospitalizations in the province, there are 421 patients in the ICU with COVID-19, and 32 people were admitted in the past 24 hours.
The local health unit is reporting an ICU occupancy rate of 69 per cent in Simcoe-Muskoka.
421 patients now in ICU with COVID related critical illness on a total census of 1,822. 32 new admissions yesterday. This is the highest number of COVID patients in critical care at one time since the pandemic began. #onhealth #onpoli pic.twitter.com/jHk5m2rhV0
— Anthony Dale (@AnthonyDaleOHA) March 31, 2021
There were 52,532 tests processed in the past day, a noticeable jump from 36,071 the previous day.
The positivity rate in the province dropped to 4.8 per cent from 6.2 per cent on Tuesday.
The health ministry reported 1,111 people are in Ontario hospitals due to the virus, which is the highest since Feb. 2, when 1,196 people were hospitalized.
The premier told the media on Tuesday he would be meeting with his cabinet soon to discuss the next move. Ford made it clear that everything was on the table.
