505 COVID patients in Ontario ICUs, testing captures 9,783 new cases

Public Health Ontario is reporting 9,783 new COVID cases today, however, that total is likely an underestimate due to limitations in who can access testing. 

Increasing COVID case counts driven by the omicron variant have made testing less available and limited to certain high-risk groups.

The Jan. 12 updates provided by the province's public health agency and the ministry of health also reported the following data:

Cases

• 16,109 recoveries and 46 deaths since yesterday's report.
• There are 132,188 active, lab-confirmed cases, down from 138,560 reported yesterday.
• The new cases reported today include 1,347 unvaccinated people, 327 partially vaccinated people, and 7,673 fully vaccinated people, 435 cases were reported with vaccination status unknown. 
• The seven-day average by vaccination status indicated 58 cases per 100,000 unvaccinated people, 45 cases per 100,000 partially vaccinated people, and 78 cases per 100,000 fully vaccinated people. 

Hospitalizations

• 3,448 people are in hospital testing positive for COVID-19. Of those, 54 per cent were admitted because of COVID-19 and 46 per cent were admitted for a different reason and tested positive for COVID.
• Included in the hospitalizations are 674 unvaccinated cases, 163 partially vaccinated cases, and 1,813 fully vaccinated cases. 
• There are 505 patients in Ontario ICUs with COVID-related critical illness, and 265 of them are on ventilators.
• Included in the ICU counts are 157 unvaccinated cases, 19 partially vaccinated cases, and 167 fully vaccinated cases.

Testing

• The province reported 56,420 tests were processed yesterday, resulting in a 20.3 per cent positivity. Another 85,684 tests are still being processed. 

As of today's report, 11.4 million people in Ontario (77 per cent of the population) are fully vaccinated, and five per cent of the province has one dose of COVID vaccine. There are 4.8 million people in Ontario with three doses of vaccine.

Public Health Ontario has confirmed 906,031 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 763,398 recoveries and 10,445 deaths.

The cumulative average incidence rate in the province is 6,149.2 cases per 100,000 people in Ontario.

Ontario's average seven-day incidence rate from Jan. 2 to Jan. 8 was 567.9 cases per 100,000 people, which decreased 17.4 per cent over the seven-day period starting on Dec. 27.

For more on the province's breakdown of vaccination status, click here.

Northern Ontario

According to provincial data, in the north there are currently 115 people with COVID-19 in hospital, up from 85 yesterday. There are 15 people in ICU, which is the same as yesterday, and seven people on ventilators, down one from yesterday’s report

In Northern Ontario, the breakdown of Public Health Ontario data for cases and vaccination is:

• Algoma Public Health: The health unit has reported 2,699 cases, 637 known active cases and 11 current hospitalizations, including one person who is from out of region but in Algoma. Of the eligible population five years and older, 87 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 81 per cent have both doses. Of the population 18 years and older, 43 per cent have a booster.
• North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit: The health unit has reported 2,119 cases, 278 known active cases and two hospitalizations. Of the eligible population five years and older, 84 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 79 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 45 per cent have a booster.
• Porcupine Health Unit: The health unit has reported 3,616 cases, 2,726 known active cases and 33 hospitalizations. As of Jan. 11, 25 people with COVID-19 were admitted at Timmins and District Hospital, four of whom were admitted for COVID-related reasons. Of the eligible population five years and older, 87 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 81 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 41 per cent have a booster.
• Public Health Sudbury and Districts: The health unit has reported 7,203 cases and 980 known active cases. There are 28 COVID-positive patients at Health Sciences North, including five in ICU. Of the eligible population five years and older, 87 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 81 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 42 per cent have a booster.
• Timiskaming Health Unit: The health unit has reported 840 cases and 122 known active cases. There are five hospitalizations. Of the eligible population five years and older, 84 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 78 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 47 per cent have a booster.
• Northwestern Health Unit: The health unit has reported 2,494 cases, 346 known active cases and eight hospitalizations. Of the eligible population five years and older, 94 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 85 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 45 per cent have a booster.
• Thunder Bay District Health Unit: The health unit has reported 5,237 cases, 310 known active cases and 10 hospitalizations. Of the eligible population five years and older, 87 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 81 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 38 per cent have a booster.

The data from Northern Ontario health units is based on what was available at 10:30 a.m. today.