Hospitalization numbers up in COVID-19 fight

The number of patients in Ontario hospitals for COVID-19 has increased 13 per cent this week as the total number of cases climb pasts 14,000 with 815 deaths.

Ministry of Health figures released Friday morning show 910 people were hospitalized, up from 802 on Monday, even as the numbers in intensive care and on ventilators remained relatively stable at 243 and 193.

The death rate continues to climb in nursing homes, rising to 75 per cent from 70 per cent on Thursday with the Ministry of Long-Term Care reporting an increase of 57 deaths for a total of 573 to date. The official death toll for the province is 763, according to figures reported by public health units as of 4 p.m. Thursday.

A more up-to-date Toronto Star compilation of data from the province's 34 public health units at 11 a.m. Friday showed 600 more Ontario residents had confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 in the previous 24 hours, raising the total to 14,425 since the outbreak began in January.

There were 45 more deaths in that period, lifting the total number of fatalities to 815.

The number of new daily cases is significant because chief medical officer Dr. David Williams has said it needs to be below 200 for Premier Doug Ford to start easing restrictions on the economy.

That's a level that gives local public health units a better chance of tracking individual cases and tracing their contacts to direct anyone with a long enough exposure to self-isolate and stop the chain of transmission.

The Ministry of Health said 7,087 people have now recovered from the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and labs across the province performed 12,295 tests Thursday with another 5,414 people awaiting results.

Rob Ferguson is a Toronto-based reporter covering Ontario politics for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @robferguson1