Here are the latest local, regional and national coronavirus headlines (COVID-19) for Friday, March 18, 2022:
- Public Health Ontario reported 13 new deaths Thursday to bring the total to 12,307. Day to day change was 19 as six older cases were added through data clean-up. There are 644 people in hospital (all hospitals reporting), 199 in ICU (down five from the previous day) and 97 on a ventilator (down six from the previous day). Although PHO reported 2,398 new cases Thursday, the statistic is likely lower than the number of infections given the limited testing in Ontario. The total case count is 1,131,941.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total (as of 9 a.m. March 17) is 3,379,200. The country has 37,020 deaths from the virus – 23 in the Yukon, 20 in the Northwest Territories, five in Nunavut, 2,953 in British Columbia, 4,013 in Alberta, 1,148 in Saskatchewan, 1,721 in Manitoba, 12,288 in Ontario, 14,213 in Quebec, 320 in New Brunswick, 16 in PEI, 82 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 218 in Nova Scotia.
- There are three people in hospital in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit area as of Thursday (one more than Wednesday) with zero in the ICU (no change from Wednesday). The number of deaths to date is 208 (no change from Wednesday). There are two (no change from Wednesday). Test positivity from limited testing in high-risk populations is 9.6 per cent (up 0.2 from Wednesday) based on 185,140 tests (40 more than Wednesday). Public Health Ontario says the cumulative case total for the region as of Thursday is 13,927.
- 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 Thursday is 7,059. There are four lab-confirmed outbreaks in congregate care, communal living and other facilities (one fewer than Monday). A partial list of active .
- Vaccines: Ontario 31,929,540 (+14,246, last update March 17); EOHU 461,442 (last update March 17, +327 from previous update March 16); 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).
- Pre-arrival testing coming into Canada will end on April 1. Read more on that story by clicking here.
- New Ontario modelling released Thursday shows hospitalizations will rise as public health measures around masking are lifted Monday. But the projections show they will be nowhere near the levels when the Omicron wave peaked.
- The Moderna vaccine has been approved by Health Canada for use in children six to 11 years old.
- Thirty-five companies around the world will be creating generic versions of Pfizer’s coronavirus antiviral drug Paxlovid. That would make the drug available to more than half the global population.
- In a sign of things returning to normal, the oldest St. Patrick’s Day parade was back in New York City yesterday after a two year hiatus. Boston, home to one of America’s largest Irish enclaves, will have its annual parade Sunday.
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