Ontario sees drop in COVID hospitalizations and ICU admissions, 70 new deaths
CBC
Ontario reported drops in both overall hospitalizations and admissions to intensive care for COVID-19 patients on Thursday, ahead of a scheduled update from the province's chief medical officer of health.
Dr. Kieran Moore's news conference, set for 3 p.m. ET, comes one week after the provincial government announced its plan to gradually lift public health measures.
It's also Moore's last regularly scheduled public appearance before restrictions are set to ease on Monday.
You'll be able to watch the update live in this story.
The Ministry of Health said this morning that, as of yesterday, there were 3,645 people with COVID-19 in hospitals. That's down from 4,016 the day before and 4,061 at the same time last week.
About 56 per cent of those patients were admitted for COVID-related illnesses while 44 per cent were already in hospital when they tested positive for the virus, according to the ministry.
There were 599 patients with COVID-19 who required intensive care, a second straight day the overall number has fallen. It's down from 608 the day before but up slightly from the same time last week.
Roughly 82 per cent of the people with COVID-19 in ICUs were admitted for reasons directly related to the virus.
The health ministry also reported another 70 deaths of people with the virus, bringing the official toll to 11,230.
More Ontarians with COVID-19 have died this month than in any other month since last January. January 2022 is currently on track to be among the deadliest months of the entire pandemic in the province.
Meanwhile, on Monday, indoor social gathering limits are set to increase from five to 10, and restaurants will be able to reopen their dining rooms at 50 per cent capacity.
Theatres will also be able to reopen, and "spectator areas" such as arenas and concert venues will be able to welcome back as many as 500 guests, or 50 per cent of their usual seated capacity — whichever is less.
Restrictions are due to ease further on Feb. 21, COVID-19 situation allowing, with indoor gathering limits increasing to 25.
The Art Gallery of Alberta is channeling its creative energy to boost membership numbers that have failed to come back since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Veterinarians in the Okanagan are urging horse lovers across Canada to take precautions as new cases of an infectious disease, called strangles, spread.
Groups on Prince Edward Island that work toward gender equality have a new fundraising opportunity called Shifting Sands.
A Kamloops, B.C., powerlifter who started breaking records in his 60s says it's never too late to start strength training.
Freezing temperatures didn’t stop crews in Dawson City, Yukon, working through Friday night to repair two water main breaks that brought the community to a standstill this past week.
Operation Jingle All the Way sounds festive and fun, but that wasn't the case.
Athletes are in Yellowknife this week vying for a spot at the 2025 Arctic Winter Games, to be held in Whitehorse this March.
Rory Linkletter is the first Canadian to run a half marathon under one hour, achieving the feat on a cool Sunday morning in Houston with a 59-minute 49-second clocking to beat former record holder Cam Levins by 69 seconds.
Mere hours after Albertans welcomed in the new year with shouts of, “Three, two, one,” Lucky 7 Cattle Co. owner Stacey Simpson was incredulously counting upward: “One, two, three?”
London's downtown office vacancy rate climbed at the end of 2025 remaining the poorest performer in Canada when it comes to attracting employers to the core.
Ian Gillies Sr. still can't look at the pictures he took during his son's two-month stint at the Health Sciences Centre in St. John's.
Stephen Gogolev almost walked away from skating. Years of recurring back injuries kept him off the ice, and when he did step on it, he felt like a shadow of the skater he once was.
Flecks of red, white and green were scattered across the steps of City Hall in St. John’s, N.L. Saturday afternoon as dozens rallied for peace and democracy in Iran.