Ontario reports 10 more COVID-19 deaths as most mask mandates set to end
CBC
Ontario is reporting 536 COVID-19 hospitalizations and 10 more deaths as the province is set to lift most mask mandates on Saturday.
The province's chief medical officer of health announced Wednesday that most mask mandatory mask rules will expire Saturday, including on transit and in hospitals, however masks will still be required in long-term care homes and retirement homes.
Dr. Kieran Moore said Ontario's COVID-19 situation, with the help of high vaccination rates, continues to improve.
Masks are still recommended in higher-risk congregate living settings, such as shelters and group homes, he said Wednesday, adding that organizations may implement their own policies to enforce masking policies.
Despite the province lifting masking policies in hospitals, the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) says it is not aware of any hospitals in the province that will be ending their masking requirements on Saturday.
OHA president Anthony Dale said the organization representing the province's public hospitals had recommended an extension to the provincial order requiring masking in hospital settings.
Meanwhile, Friday's reported hospitalizations are down slightly from 549 on Thursday and from 669 on the same day last week.
According to the Ministry of Health, 42 per cent of those hospitalized were admitted specifically for the virus, while the rest were admitted for other reasons and then tested positive.
Of those in hospital, 110 required intensive care, down from 118 on Thursday, but down from 117 this time last week. Fifty-two patients require the help of ventilators to breathe.
Some 66 per cent of people in intensive care units were admitted because of the virus, while the rest were admitted for other reasons and then tested positive.
Meanwhile, the province reported at least 835 new daily cases of COVID-19 on Friday, with 9,192 tests completed within the past 24 hours. However, due to testing limitations, officials say the actual number of daily new cases is likely far higher than reported.
The provincewide test positivity rate stands at 7.3 per cent.
Wastewater data surveillance set up to detect COVID-19 suggests a continuing overall decline in the level of infection in most of the province except for northern Ontario, according to the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table.
The latest data shows the decline of wastewater detection as of May 31 with estimates that this trend will continue in June.
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