COVID-19: Hospitalizations down in Ontario

Ontario reported 842 people in hospital due to COVID-19 Sunday — the first time fewer than 1,000 people have been in hospital since late December.

Sunday’s count is down from 1,024 patients Saturday, though Health Minister Christine Elliott noted on Twitter that not all hospitals report data on weekends.

There are 281 people in ICU with the virus, down from 284 Saturday and 297 Friday.

The province reported nine new deaths and 2,001 new cases Sunday, though that number is considered low due to limits on lab testing for COVID-19.

Wastewater data being monitored by Ontario’s science advisory table suggests that COVID-19 activity in the province is starting to rise again, after consistently declining since early January.

The remaining capacity limits for indoor public settings are slated to be lifted on Tuesday, also the day the province ends its vaccine certificate system.