Ontario is reporting another 401 confirmed cases of COVID-19 this morning, bringing the provincial total to 2,793 lab-confirmed cases.
There are now 405 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, and 167 are in intensive care units, 112 are on ventilators, and at least 53 have died from the virus, although numbers reported from public health units suggest that is a conservative estimate. Deaths in non-laboratory confirmed cases are not reported.
In a situation such as the one at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, 14 residents have died with symptoms of the virus, but not all were tested for COVID-19.
According to the provincial report this morning there are 186 people over 80 in the province confirmed positive for the virus. There are 716 cases in patients 60-79, 995 cases in patients 40-59, 826 cases in patients 20-39, and 68 cases in patients 19 and under.
Yesterday the province reported the highest daily increase of confirmed COVID-19 cases with 426. Today marks the second highest increase in cases.
All cases reported by the province each morning at 10:30 represent test results received the day before. So today’s (April) 401 new cases were confirmed in test results up to 4 p.m. yesterday (April 1).
Yesterday the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit confirmed there are 62 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region, including one in a staff member at an Orillia long-term care facility. The health unit confirmed the worker was infectious while at work, and the long-term care facility - Spencer House - is now considered an outbreak site.
In Grey Bruce region, the health unit confirmed there are now 14 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and two of those are health care workers. Dr. Ian Arra, medical officer of health for Grey Bruce Health Unit said transmission of the virus could not be linked to their workplaces and indicated they got the virus through community transmission.
Premier Doug Ford had a stern warning for Ontarians at a news conference Wednesday.
"Right now, today, there is very little separating what we will face here in Ontario from the devastation we have seen in Italy and Spain," he said. "We know a surge is coming."
He said it was up to residents in the province to prevent the same scenarios seen in Italy and Spain, where thousands have died from the virus. He urged physical distancing, staying at home, and making sure only one person is going out for essential supply trips.
There are approximately 10,000 confirmed cases in Canada and 936,000 in the world.
Yesterday, Ontario and Quebec were the only provinces to report the daily case increase in the 400s (426 for Ontario, 450 for Quebec). Alberta reported 117 new cases, and the rest of the provinces and territories reported a daily increase in the single or double digits (less than 53).
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has refused to give a specific timeline on when the lockdowns and quarantines might be lifted but said Wednesday the measures could last for “weeks or even months.”
He said the duration of strict public health measures will depend on the actions of Canadians and their efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
