Newswatch COVID-19 Digest: Monday April 4, 2022

Here are the latest local, regional and national coronavirus headlines (COVID-19) for Monday, April 4, 2022:

  • Public Health Ontario reported nine deaths Friday, seven on Saturday and eight Sunday to bring the total to 12,470. Due to a technical difficulties at PHO, hospitalization data was unavailable Sunday. Although PHO reported 3,077 new cases Sunday, the statistic is likely lower than the number of infections given the limited testing in Ontario. The total case count is 1,172,438.
  • Canada’s coronavirus case total (as of 9 a.m. April 1) is 3,484,560. The country has 37,626 deaths from the virus – 24 in the Yukon, 21 in the Northwest Territories, six in Nunavut, 2,998 in British Columbia, 4,074 in Alberta, 1,229 in Saskatchewan, 1,744 in Manitoba, 12,433 in Ontario, 14,365 in Quebec, 349 in New Brunswick, 18 in PEI, 110 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 255 in Nova Scotia.
  • The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area had six people in hospital Friday (two fewer than Thursday) with zero in the ICU (no change from Thursday). The number of deaths to date is 217 (two more than Thursday). There are six (four more than Thursday). Test positivity from limited testing in high-risk populations is 13.0 per cent (up 1.2 from Thursday) based on 185,715 tests (37 more than Thursday). Public Health Ontario says the cumulative case total for the region as of Sunday is 14,402.
  • In its Friday report, the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit has 18 people in hospital (one more than Wednesday), five in the ICU (no change from Wednesday) and two on a ventilator (no change from Wednesday). The number of deaths to date is 91 (no change from Wednesday). There were 75 cases added since Wednesday from limited. Local case numbers are updated Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Public Health Ontario says the cumulative case count for the region as of Sunday is 7,473. There are four lab-confirmed outbreaks in congregate care, communal living and other facilities (one more than Wednesday). A partial list of active .
  • Vaccines: Ontario 32,093,748 (+9,003, last update April 3); EOHU 463,025 (last update April 1, +103 from previous update March 31); LGL 162,302 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 157,693 with second doses, 106,325 with third doses, 2,567 with fourth doses. (last update March 27, +26 first doses, +158 second doses, +333 third doses, +103 fourth doses since previous update March 20).
  • Experts are calling for a renewed vaccination strategy as Ontario enters a sixth wave of COVID-19. Hospitalizations are increasing with 855 on Saturday, compared to 804 on Friday. Due to a technical issue, hospital numbers were unavailable Sunday. There are few public health measures in place and only around 60 per cent of Ontarians have had three doses.
  • As cases rise in Nova Scotia, the Liberal leader is calling on Progressive Conservative Premier Tim Houston to resume coronavirus briefings. Iain Rankin says the province needs to be putting out daily case counts and hospitalizations. Right now, they are weekly.
  • Millions of people in Shanghai, China have been ordered to stay at home under a lockdown as the city deals with a steady increase of COVID-19 cases.

Thank you for reading the latest edition of the Newswatch COVID-19 Digest, published Monday to Friday at 6 a.m.