Newswatch COVID-19 Digest: Thursday March 17, 2022

Here are the latest local, regional and national coronavirus headlines (COVID-19) for Thursday, March 17, 2022:

  • Public Health Ontario reported 15 new deaths Wednesday to bring the total to 12,288. Day to day change was 16 as one older case was added through data clean-up. There are 649 people in hospital (all hospitals reporting), 204 in ICU (down 16 from the previous day) and 103 on a ventilator (down nine from the previous day). Although PHO reported 2,011 new cases Wednesday, the statistic is likely lower than the number of infections given the limited testing in Ontario. The total case count is 1,129,543.
  • Canada’s coronavirus case total (as of 9 a.m. March 16) is 3,373,405. The country has 36,990 deaths from the virus – 23 in the Yukon, 20 in the Northwest Territories, five in Nunavut, 2,946 in British Columbia, 4,025 in Alberta, 1,148 in Saskatchewan, 1,717 in Manitoba, 12,272 in Ontario, 14,202 in Quebec, 320 in New Brunswick, 16 in PEI, 78 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 218 in Nova Scotia.
  • There are two people in hospital in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit area as of Wednesday (one fewer than Tuesday) with zero in the ICU (no change from Tuesday). The number of deaths to date is 208 (three more than Tuesday). There are two institutional outbreaks (no change from Tuesday). Test positivity from limited testing in high-risk populations is 9.4 per cent (down 0.2 from Tuesday) based on 185,100 tests (105 more than Monday). Public Health Ontario says the cumulative case total for the region as of Wednesday is 13,897.
  • In its Wednesday report, the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit has 12 people in hospital (two more than Monday), seven in the ICU (one more than Monday) and four on a ventilator (no change from Monday). The number of deaths to date is 85 (one more than Monday). There were 40 cases added since Monday but due to limited testing, the number of cases locally is likely higher than what is being reported. Local case numbers are updated Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Public Health Ontario says the cumulative case count for the region as of Wednesday is 7,032. There are four lab-confirmed outbreaks in congregate care, communal living and other facilities (one fewer than Monday). A partial list of active institutional outbreaks.
  • Vaccines: Ontario 31,915,294 (+14,803, last update March 16); EOHU 461,115 (last update March 16, +154 from previous update March 15); LGL 162,211 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 157,312 with second doses, 105,502 with third doses, 2,333 with fourth doses. (last update March 13, +33 first doses, +208 second doses, +397 third doses, +170 fourth doses since previous update March 6).
  • The federal government is expected to announce that it will no longer require vaccinated travellers to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test when returning to Canada, starting April 1. That’s according to a government source cited by multiple media outlets. Travellers could still be asked to take a random test and they will still have to use the ArriveCAN app. The announcement could come as early as today.
  • The Quebec government has tabled a bill to lift the pandemic state of emergency that’s been in effect since March 2020. The opposition parties have been demanding it be lifted for months.
  • St. Lawrence College will continue vaccine and mask mandates at its campuses in Cornwall, Brockville and Kingston until the end of the winter semester. The college also plans to shelve the requirement to show security the results of its screening app on Monday. It will be replaced by asking people to screen themselves. SLC also plans to “gradually” ease physical distancing requirements in shared spaces on campus, returning furniture to its normal layout.

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