Here are the latest local, regional and national coronavirus headlines (COVID-19) for Friday, April 8, 2022:
- Public Health Ontario reported 16 deaths Thursday to bring the total to 12,527. There are 1,126 people in hospital (all hospitals reporting), 159 in ICU (down nine from the previous day) and 80 on a ventilator (down three from the previous day). Although PHO reported 4,224 new cases Thursday, the statistic is likely lower than the number of infections given the limited testing in Ontario. The total case count is 1,184,345.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total (as of 9 a.m. April 7) is 3,535,095. The country has 37,850 deaths from the virus – 24 in the Yukon, 21 in the Northwest Territories, seven in Nunavut, 3,002 in British Columbia, 4,104 in Alberta, 1,229 in Saskatchewan, 1,744 in Manitoba, 12,511 in Ontario, 14,454 in Quebec, 358 in New Brunswick, 19 in PEI, 122 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 255 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area had four people in hospital Thursday (no change from Wednesday) with one in the ICU (no change from Wednesday). The number of deaths to date is 217 (no change from Wednesday). There are 11 (no change from Wednesday). Test positivity from limited testing in high-risk populations is 13.8 per cent (no change from Wednesday) based on 186,012 tests (no change from Wednesday). Public Health Ontario says the cumulative case total for the region as of Thursday is 14,540.
- In its Wednesday report, the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit has five people in hospital (11 fewer than Monday – health unit has changed hospitalization reporting criteria leading to the drastic reduction), four in the ICU (no change from Monday) and two on a ventilator (one more than Monday). The number of deaths to date is 93 (two more than Monday). There were 84 cases added since Monday from limited testing. Local case numbers are updated Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Public Health Ontario says the cumulative case count for the region as of Thursday is 7,619. There are five lab-confirmed outbreaks in congregate care, communal living and other facilities (no change from Monday). A partial list of active .
- Vaccines: Ontario 32,123,294 (+10,635, last update April 7); EOHU 463,630 (last update April 7, +0 from previous update April 6); 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).
- A joint statement about the coronavirus situation was released Thursday by Eastern Ontario medical officers of health and chiefs of staff of area hospitals. With viral signal in sewage increasing and test positivity on the rise, they are calling on people to get vaccinated, limit close contacts, wear a mask in indoor public spaces and stay home if you feel sick.
- There are more signs pointing to a sixth wave of the virus across Canada. The head of the Ontario Science Advisory Table believes a tidal wave of cases is coming based on wastewater monitoring.
- Saskatchewan is having a resurgence of COVID-19 but the chief medical health officer says the sixth wave isn’t in the province yet. The surge is expected to continue through mid-May or as late as June. Alberta is also hesitant to say a sixth wave is there even though wastewater indicators and positivity are on the rise.
- B.C. has switched to weekly COVID-19 updates instead of daily, aligning with a shift away from case management to more of an overall surveillance model.
- While numbers are rising in Manitoba, the chief public health officer says cases of serious illness have levelled out. Dr. Brent Roussin says sewage analysis shows the virus is spreading at a higher rate.
Thank you for reading the latest edition of the Newswatch COVID-19 Digest, published Monday to Friday at 6 a.m.