Ontario Public Health is reporting another daily increase in lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases near 500, and a record number of deaths reported in a single day.
Today the province recorded an additional 494 cases of COVID-19, which is now the second-highest daily total recorded. The highest one-day increase was April 8, when the province recorded 552 new cases. The next highest came April 9 and yesterday (April 14) when the increase was reported at 483 new cases.
Today's report shows another record-setting increase in deaths announced by the province, with 51 more reported to bring the total deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Ontario to 385. Of those, 144 have been residents or patients at long-term care homes.
There have been 8,447 cases of COVID-19 confirmed by a lab since the pandemic began, which includes 3,902 recoveries and 385 deaths.
There are 795 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in the province including 254 in intensive care units and 188 of those on ventilators.
Testing criteria was loosened by the province last week to allow more people to be tested with fewer symptoms. Ontario provincial health has now included a daily total for test completed, and is reporting there were 6,010 tests completed yesterday and there are 4,429 tests still awaiting results. The province has tested a total of 119,092 people.
The province is now reporting there are 98 outbreaks of COVID-19 in long-term care homes and 28 outbreaks at Ontario hospitals.
There are 834 cases of COVID-19 reported in residents and patients at long term care homes, and 82 at hospitals.
Yesterday Premier Doug Ford announced Ontario’s state of emergency declaration would now extend to May 12.
Ford also announced a new action plan launching today to redeploy resources to long-term care homes. He also introduced a new measure prohibiting long-term-care staff from working at more than one facility. He said the province would supplement their income to compensate for reduced work hours.
Yesterday afternoon, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit announced the second death of a long-term care patient in the region.
A woman in her 80s, whose case was first reported April 7, has died. She was a resident at Bradford Valley, which has been in a COVID-19 outbreak since April 4. On Saturday, April 12, a man in his 90s, also a resident at Bradford Valley, died. His death is being attributed to COVID-19.
The health unit reported an additional eight confirmed cases of COVID-19 on April 15, bringing the region's total to 159, including nine deaths and 65 recoveries.
The case breakdown for towns and cities in Simcoe County is as follows: Bradford W-G (40), Barrie (36), New Tecumseth (18), Orillia (10), Collingwood (7), Innisfil (5), Springwater (5), Midland (4), Wasaga Beach (4), Oro-Medonte (4), Adjala-Tosorontio (2), Clearview (2), Essa (2), Ramara (2), Tiny (2), Penetanguishene (2).
There are also 14 cases confirmed in the Muskoka Region.
The infection rate for Simcoe Muskoka region is 26 lab-confirmed cases per 100,000 population. The provincial average is 56.8 cases per 100,000 population.
