Ontario has reported another 47 confirmed cases of COVID-19 this morning, bringing the provincial total to 424.
On the Ontario list published this morning, seven of the new 47 cases include information such as the health unit where the person was tested and the age and gender of the person. The other 40 cases are confirmed positive, but all other information is listed as "pending."
The Simcoe Muskoka Public Health Unit has not yet released updated numbers of positive cases for the region. So far, there are nine confirmed cases in the area, including two deaths and two hospitalizations.
Yesterday Ontario’s death toll rose to three with a second Barrie death at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre.
The man who died yesterday morning was visiting the area from Alberta. He was in his 70s and checked into the hospital on March 11. The first man to die in Barrie, also at RVH, was in his 70s and died on March 11. RVH confirmed the two men were related.
Due to those two cases, there are 80 staff at RVH who have had to go through a screening process due to potential exposure. Some are self-isolating.
Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit’s chief medical officer Dr. Charles Gardner also confirmed there is now one positive case likely caused by community transmission. The Bradford woman in her 30s was hospitalized in serious condition at Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket on March 17. She has no travel history and no contact with known positive cases.
The province has reported eight cases have recovered.
As of this morning, there have been 26,419 people in the province approved for testing, which is an increase of 3,000 from yesterday’s provincial report. According to Ontario Health standards, individuals can be tested if they exhibit the symptoms of COVID-19 and have travelled or been in close contact with someone who is confirmed COVID-19 positive or has travelled and also has symptoms.
There are 8,361 cases under investigation in Ontario, that’s up from 7,239 yesterday.
Toronto Public Health reported as of yesterday (March 21) at 1 p.m. there are 10 people hospitalized, and 193 positive COVID-19 test results. Among those infected include a Toronto paramedic, a person experiencing homelessness, and a long-term care resident.
In the Region of Durham there have been four confirmed cases of COVID-19 in two women and two men who are residents at a long-term care home. The residents are being isolated and treated at the long-term care home.
BC still has the most cases confirmed of any province or territory in Canada with 424 cases reported as of yesterday, 10 deaths in the province and six recoveries.
Yukon and Nunavut are now the only territories or provinces in Canada without any confirmed cases of the virus.
In Canada, there are more than 1,200 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
