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Ontario reports zero COVID-19 deaths for first time in 2021

by Nisean Lorde for Post City Posted: July 7, 2021

Ontario reported 194 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, and zero new deaths—it’s the first time the province reported no new deaths since October 14, 2020.

Out of the new cases, 42 cases were reported in the Region of Waterloo, 35 in Toronto, 26 in Peel Region, 16 in Hamilton, and 11 in Grey Bruce. The cumulative provincial case count now stands at 546,411 with a total of 9,224 deaths. As of reporting, there are 201 patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 220 patients in ICU due to COVID-related critical illness, and 155 patients in ICU on a ventilator due to COVID-related critical illness.

Even with key improvements in public health indicators, the variants of concern are on the rise. As of Jan. 6, the following data were reported:

  • Alpha variant: 144,338 variant cases (up by 349 from the previous report).
  • Beta variant: 1,420 variant cases (up by 5 from the previous report).
  • Gamma variant: 4,650 variant cases (up by 18 from the previous report).
  • Delta variant: 2,222 variant cases (up by 173 from the previous report).

Meanwhile, two field hospitals in Ontario (Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto and Hamilton Health Sciences in Hamilton)—originally created to safely care for more patients during the COVID-19 pandemic—are shutting down due to declining hospitalizations and ICU rates.

Sunnybrook’s self-contained field hospital was set up in their parking lot in February. At the end of May, the hospital said that there were no more COVID-19 patients at the field hospital. As of July 6, medical supplies and equipment housed inside the mobile health unit were being removed, and deconstruction of the structure is scheduled for early August.

In a press conference on Wednesday morning, Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott noted that, due to the high level of vaccinations, the province doesn’t anticipate needing those field hospitals.

As of Wednesday morning, 16,126,179 doses of approved COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Ontario. Approximately 77.76% of people 12+ in Ontario have received at least one dose and 46.93% of people 12+ in Ontario are fully vaccinated. She added that the province will continue to be cautious and careful with moving forward.

Click here for more COVID-19 Ontario updates.

Article exclusive to POST CITY

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