Ontario sees 417 new COVID-19 cases as ICU burden ticks upward
CBC
Ontario reported 417 new cases of COVID-19 and the deaths of three more people with the illness on Thursday.
The number of people being treated for COVID-related sickness in the province's intensive care units ticked upward to 158 from 153, a second day of increases. About 64 per cent of those patients needed ventilators.
Critical Care Services Ontario says 13 adults with COVID-related symptoms were admitted to ICUs on Wednesday, and the seven-day average of COVID-19 patients in ICUs stands at 153.
Meanwhile, the consistent decline in new cases that began around Sept. 5 continued with today's figures. The seven-day average of daily cases fell to 476, its lowest point since mid-August.
The developments come after CBC News first reported that the Ontario government will announce plans next week to exit the 'Roadmap to Reopen.' The further easing of pandemic measures will include ending capacity limits in all locations where proof-of-vaccination requirements are in place, such as restaurants, bars and gyms, a senior official in the government said Wednesday.
The official declined to say when the relaxed measures will take effect. Dr. Peter Jüni, scientific director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, said that will be a key element of the plan.
In an interview with CBC Radio's Metro Morning on Thursday, Jüni said the province should wait at least three weeks before making further changes. That's because the government announced last Friday that it was lifting capacity limits on some major venues while continuing to impose restrictions on smaller businesses, a move that Jüni called "an experiment.