8% of Ontario ICU beds filled with COVID patients

About eight per cent of the province's total ICU beds are occupied by patients hospitalized because of COVID, according to the latest COVID update published March 18.

Ontario hospitals are caring for 619 COVID-positive patients, including 193 patients in intensive care with COVID-related illnesses.

About 30 per cent of the province's adult ICU beds are available and the remaining 62 per cent is filled with patients hospitalized for reasons not related to COVID-19.

Today the province reported eight new COVID deaths that occurred in the last month, and two more that occurred more than one month ago.

Over the course of the pandemic, province has reported 12,313 deaths that were either caused by COVID, COVID was a contributing factor to the death, or the cause of death was unknown or missing. 

As of today, Public Health Ontario has confirmed 1,134,443 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 1,106,136 cases recovered or resolved.

There were 1,899 more recoveries and 2,502 new cases confirmed through lab testing in today's report. New case counts are underestimated due to limited testing.

The March 18 updates provided by the province's public health agency and the ministry of health also reported the following data:

Hospitalizations

• 619 COVID-positive patients in hospitals, down from 644 reported yesterday. Of those, 45 per cent were admitted because of COVID-19 related illness and 55 per cent were admitted for unrelated reasons but still test positive for COVID-19.
• Among the hospitalized patients are 117 unvaccinated people, 18 partially vaccinated people, and 365 fully vaccinated people.
• 193 people are in ICU because of COVID-related critical illness, down from 199 reported yesterday. Of those, 45 no longer test positive for COVID-19.
• There are 97 patients on ventilators because of COVID-related critical illness.
• Among the patients in ICU are 34 unvaccinated people, three partially vaccinated people, and 60 fully vaccinated people. 

Vaccination

• About 86 per cent of the population over four years old in Ontario is fully vaccinated (about 12 million people)
• More than 7.1 million people in Ontario have had three doses of a COVID vaccine.
• 10 per cent of the eligible population (aged 5 and up) is unvaccinated

Northern Ontario

In the north, there are 120 hospitalizations, up from 117 yesterday, according to provincial data. There are 16 people in ICU with the virus, down from 19 yesterday, and five people on ventilators, down from eight yesterday. 

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

• Algoma Public Health: The health unit has reported 5,991 cases, 415 known active cases and 14 hospitalizations, with five people in ICU. Of the eligible population five years and older, 89 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 85 per cent have both doses. Of the population 18 years and older, 62 per cent have a booster.
• North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit: The health unit has reported 4,246 cases, 114 known active cases and 10 hospitalizations. Of the eligible population five years and older, 86 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 83 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 59 per cent have a booster.
• Porcupine Health Unit: The health unit has reported 6,024 cases, 278 known active cases and 12 hospitalizations, with one person in ICU. Of the eligible population five years and older, 88 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 83 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 53 per cent have a booster.
• Public Health Sudbury and Districts: The health unit has reported 12,347 cases, 335 known active cases and 50 hospitalizations, with two people in ICU. It is only updating its numbers Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Of the eligible population five years and older, 89 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, 59 per cent have a booster.
• Timiskaming Health Unit: The health unit has reported 1,288 cases, 37 known active cases, and no hospitalizations. Of the eligible population five years and older, 86 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 82 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 58 per cent have a booster.
• Northwestern Health Unit: The health unit has reported 5,966 cases and 324 known active cases. Current hospitalizations are not reported. Of the eligible population five years and older, 97 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 90 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 62 per cent have a booster.
• Thunder Bay District Health Unit: The health unit has reported 9,466 cases, 166 known active cases and 29 hospitalizations, including six people in ICU. The health unit is only updating data Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Of the eligible population five years and older, 89 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, 60 per cent have a booster.

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