There are 528 people in hospital on Saturday with COVID-19, according to data released by the provincial government.
There are also 110 people in an Ontario ICU.
The figures show a continuing downward trend in Ontario’s hospital occupancy rates. Friday saw 536 people hospitalized as a result of COVID-19 and 110 in an Ontario ICU with or due to the virus. Meanwhile, there were 671 people in hospital and 107 in intensive care on Saturday, June 4.
The data also includes 12 new deaths.
The figures come the same day most of Ontario’s final mask requirements were dropped.
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Masks will no longer be required on public transit — including GO Transit and the Toronto Transit Commission — as well as in public health-care settings like hospitals.
Several hospitals have confirmed to Global News, though, that they will be keeping masking requirements in place after the provincial mandate lifts Saturday.
They include the University Health Network, Sinai Health, Unity Health Toronto, Women’s College Hospital, SickKids, Sunnybrook and Lakeridge Health.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said that with virus indicators heading in the right direction and high vaccination rates, it’s time to replace mandates with guidance.
He said it’s still recommended that masks be worn in those settings, but that they will no longer be the subject of an emergency order that came with the threat of fines and jail time.
Masks are still required in group settings like shelters or long-term care and retirement homes.
Ontario reported 825 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.
Test positivity reported Sunday declined marginally. A total of 7.1 per cent of test results reported on Saturday by Public Health Ontario were positive, compared to 7.3 per cent Friday.
— with files from Global News’ Ryan Rocca and The Canadian Press
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