Ontario removes more than 400 deaths from official COVID-19 count due to methodology change
CBC
Ontario has removed more than 400 deaths from its official COVID-19 count due to a change in the way it counts and reports deaths linked to the virus.
On Wednesday, the province announced it would begin classifying whether COVID-19 caused a death, contributed to a death, or if a person's cause of death is unknown or missing. That data didn't appear to initially be available in Friday's update.
Instead, the Ministry of Health reported Friday that 12,227 people with COVID-19 have died since Jan. 15, 2020, which is 411 less than yesterday's total of 12,638 reported by Public Health Ontario.
"On March 11, 2022, the count of COVID-19 deaths was changed to exclude fatal cases of COVID-19 where the cause of death was found to be unrelated to COVID-19," a note on the ministry's website reads.
"As a result, a number of deaths have been removed from the total counts."
The change comes as Canada observes a national day of observance, marking two years since the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.
"To the friends, families and communities who have lost loved ones, I offer my sincere and heartfelt condolences," Health Minister Christine Elliott tweeted Friday morning.
Meanwhile, Ontario reported 717 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Friday. Today's reported hospitalization number marks a decrease from Thursday, when 742 were reported to be in hospital. Last Friday, 821 people were in hospital with COVID-19.
According to Elliott, 46 per cent of patients were admitted to hospital for COVID-19, while 54 per cent were admitted for other reasons but have since tested positive for the virus.
Of the hospitalizations reported, there are 238 patients in intensive care, down slightly from 244 on Thursday, and down from 262 one week earlier.
Of the ICU patients, 76 per cent were admitted because of COVID-19, and 24 per cent were admitted for other reasons but later tested positive.
The Ministry of Health also reported another 2,130 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, though chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore warned last week the actual number of new cases each day is likely 10 times higher than what is being reported due to limited PCR testing.
On Wednesday, the province announced the removal of mask mandates in schools, restaurants, gyms and stores across Ontario on March 21.
Moore said the province is continuing to closely monitor COVID-19 data as it moves toward easing further public health measures.
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