Public Health Ontario has reported 1,553 new cases of COVID-19 today (March 18).
Today's report includes 1,236 recoveries and 15 new deaths.
The deaths reported today include one person between 20 and 39 years old, five people between 60 and 79 years old, and nine people aged 80 or older. One of the deaths reported today was a resident of a long-term care home.
The province has reported 65 new hospitalizations since yesterday, and 10 new admissions of COVID-19 patients to intensive care units.
The March 18 update provided by the province's public health agency also reported the following data:
- 12,814 active cases, which is up from 12,512 yesterday
- 730 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Ontario, down from 741 reported yesterday.
- There are 304 COVID patients in intensive care units (up from 300 yesterday) and 186 COVID patients on ventilators (down from 190 yesterday)
- The province reported 58,560 tests were processed yesterday resulting in a 3.1 per cent positivity rate.
- Another 32,330 tests are still under investigation and/or being processed. To date, 11.9 million tests have been completed.
- Of the 1,553 new cases reported today, 404 are from Toronto, 294 cases are from Peel, 176 are from York Region, and 15 are from Simcoe-Muskoka
- There are 69 active outbreaks at long-term care homes, 46 at retirement homes, and 29 at hospitals.
- The new cases reported today include 327 individuals aged 19 and under, 569 people between 20 and 39 years old, 439 people between 40 and 59 years old, 183 people between 60 and 79 years old, and 34 people aged 80 and over.
Variants of concern (Ontario-wide)
- 1,136 lab-confirmed cases of the UK variant strain of COVID-19 (B.1.1.7).
- 47 cases of B.1.351 (also known as the South African variant).
- 35 cases of P.1, which is the variant strain that originated in Brazil.
- Another 10,291 cases have screened positive with a mutation detected, but the lineage for the variant strain not yet sequenced.
- According to Public Health Ontario, there are delays between specimen collection and the testing required to confirm a variant of concern. As such, the reports can change and can differ from past case counts publicly reported.
Vaccines
- There were 58,119 doses of vaccines against COVID-19 administered on March 17, which is down from 58,202 administered on March 16.
- As of 8 p.m. on March 16, the province reported 1,359,453 doses of vaccine against COVID-19 have been administered.
- In total, 292,269 people have been fully vaccinated.
Public Health Ontario has confirmed 323,509 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 303,493 recoveries and 7,202 deaths, of which 3,888 were individuals living in long-term care homes.
The cumulative average incidence rate in the province is 2,176.4 cases per 100,000 people in Ontario.
The weekly incidence rate in Ontario is 63.1 cases per 100,000 people, which is an increase of 11.3 per cent from last week (March 2 - March 8).
In Northern Ontario, the breakdown of Public Health Ontario data is:
- Algoma Public Health: 220 cases, rate of 192.3 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 219 cases. There are 21 known active cases, including three people not from Algoma who are temporarily in the region. The region is in the yellow - protect zone.
- North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit: 271 cases, rate of 208.9 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 273 cases. There are three known active cases. There have been two confirmed cases of the United Kingdom (B.1.1.7) variant, and 21 confirmed cases of the South African (B.1.351) variant of concern. There are 13 tests where variants have been detected but the strain is not known yet. The region is in the red - control zone.
- Porcupine Health Unit: 344 cases, rate of 412.3 per 100,000 people. There is one known active case. There have been two confirmed cases of the South African (B.1.351) variant of concern. There is one test where a variant has been detected but the strain is not known yet. The region is in the orange - restrict zone.
- Public Health Sudbury and Districts: 1,055 cases, rate of 530.1 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 1,059. There are 242 known active cases. There are three confirmed variants of concern (VOC) cases, both are the UK (B.1.1.7) strain. There are 210 tests where variants have been detected but the strain is not known yet. The region is in the grey - lockdown zone.
- Timiskaming Health Unit: 107 cases, rate of 327.3 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 108 cases. There are two known active cases. There has been one confirmed case of the South African (B.1.351) variant of concern. The region is in the orange - restrict zone.
- Northwestern Health Unit: 594 cases, rate of 677.5 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 591. There are 61 known active cases. There has been one confirmed case of the UK (B.1.1.7) variant. There are three tests where variants have been detected but the strain is not known yet. The region is in the red - control zone.
- Thunder Bay District Health Unit: 2,497 cases, rate of 1,665.1 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 2,533 cases. There are 406 known active cases. There is one test where a variant has been detected but the strain is not known yet. The region is in the grey - lockdown level.