Ontario COVID update: 1,392 people in hospital, 156 in ICU

There are 1,392 people in hospital with COVID-19 and 156 in intensive care, according to data released by the province on Saturday.

The figures represent a drop in the number of people in ICU and hospital as a result of the novel coronavirus compared to both Friday and last Saturday.

Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, said COVID-19 wastewater indicators are declining as part of a broader trend. He also said test positivity and hospitalizations are also on the way down.

“If we continue along this trajectory, I think we’ll have a low level of endemic activity throughout the summer,” he said in an interview.

Moore said he expects the fall to see an increase in risk and transmission.

Yesterday, there were 1,453 people in hospital with COVID-19 and 168 people in intensive care due to the virus.

A week ago — on Saturday, May 7 — there were 1,563 people in hospital with COVID-19. A total of 204 people were in an Ontario ICU.

Ontario’s COVID data was delayed Saturday due to technical difficulties and not all data sets were updated.

Ontario also reported 1,575 lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases on Saturday. That figure, experts say, is likely an underestimate of the true number of cases due to testing restrictions that limit access to PCR tests in the province.

A total of 91.2 per cent of those over the age of 12 are vaccinated with two doses in Ontario, while 93.1 per cent have at least one dose.

The province has administered a total of 33,082,616 doses so far.

Ontario has been offering fourth doses to those 60 and older since early April, but only 21.8 per cent of people in that age group have received four shots, Moore said.

The data included 11 more COVID-19 related deaths.

–With files from The Canadian Press