There are 3,448 people in hospitals across the province and 505 in intensive care. New data shows about 54 per cent of people hospitalized were admitted with the virus while 46 per cent were admitted for other reasons and tested positive in the hospital. 9,783 new cases were reported on Wednesday but experts continue to caution the real number of cases is much higher with the exact amount not clear because the majority of Ontario’s population does not have access to PCR testing.
Sadly, the province added 46 new deaths on Wednesday, its highest daily count since February. Ministry of Health officials say the high number of deaths is due to a data catchup, and some of them happened in the past 12 days.
Alexandra Hilkene the press secretary for Health Minister Christine Elliott offered this statement when clarifying the reported deaths, “Due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant, we are evaluating whether there is a need to update reporting to distinguish between causal and incidental deaths related to COVID-19. For example, we have heard anecdotal evidence of a small number of individuals receiving palliative care in congregate care settings who regrettably passed with COVID but not necessarily because of the virus.”
Hilkene continues, “While any change in reporting will not change the fact that these individuals tragically lost their lives, it is important to be transparent and provide the public with as much context as we can.”
