3,535 people in Ontario hospitals with COVID, 607 in intensive care

Ontario added 68 more COVID-related deaths. There were 5,337 new PCR-confirmed cases recorded.

Ontario is reporting 3,535 people in hospital with COVID on Friday, with 607 in intensive care units.

This is down by 110 hospitalizations but an increase of eight in ICUs since the previous day.

The province recently began distinguishing between those who were admitted to hospital directly because of COVID, and those who were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for the virus.

Of the 3,535 people in hospital with COVID-19, 56 per cent of them were admitted because of the virus, while 44 per cent were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for COVID-19.

Of the 607 people in ICUs with the virus, around 82 per cent were admitted because of COVID, while around 18 per cent were admitted for other reasons.

Meanwhile, Ontario also reported 5,337 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday, though that is an underestimate of the true widespread transmission of the virus due to recent testing restrictions. The provincial case total now stands at 1,021,436.

Of the 5,337 new cases recorded, the data showed 833 were unvaccinated people, 181 were partially vaccinated people, 3,806 were fully vaccinated people. For 517 people the vaccination status was unknown.

The death toll in the province has risen to 11,298 as 68 more virus-related deaths were added.