TORONTO – Covid-19, twelve deaths in the last twenty-four hours: among the deads, even a very young person, under the age of 20, in the Windsor-Essex area (this is the only detail provided by the Ministry of Health of the Ontario). “We extend our deepest condolences to their family,” said Ministry spokeswoman Alexandra Hilkene. “Out of respect for the family and their privacy at this difficult time, we will not share further details of the case at this time.” The analysis of today’s data relating to the pandemic in Ontario opens with this tragic news.

Despite the high number of deaths in a single day, the situation appears quite stable in Ontario, at least in these first days of the week: today the province recorded 512 new cases, compared to 481 on Tuesday and 454 on last Wednesday. The slight increase, however, combined with the surge last weekend, brings the seven-day moving average to rise: 587, while last Wednesday it was at 502.

Of today’s cases, 250 involved unvaccinated people, 19 partially vaccinated people, 202 fully vaccinated people and 41 people with an unknown vaccination status. 28,931 tests processed in the last 24 hours: the positive rate of 2.5%, up from 1.8% a week ago. The number of active and known cases in Ontario is now 4,741, up from 4,053 seven days ago.

Healthcare units with the largest number of new public cases include Toronto (54), Simcoe-Muskoka (49), Ottawa (43), Windsor (38), Southwestern (27), and Peel Region (26). The number of patients in the province’s intensive care units remains stable, with 133 patients, down slightly from 136 last week.

Ontario’s official death toll since the start of the pandemic is 9,950.

A surge in infections in Quebec today, with 718 new cases (fortunately no deaths) against 517 on Tuesday and 509 on Monday. The moving average over seven days of daily cases is 639 and the province reports 5,897 (known) cases still active. Of the new infections reported today, 431 were detected in people who were not vaccinated or with a single dose of the vaccine. Admissions remained below the 200 mark, with 195 patients, a drop of five since Tuesday. Of the hospitalized, 47 are in intensive care.

The death toll attributable to the virus remains unchanged at 11,548.

Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash