Ontario reports 20 more deaths linked to COVID-19, 1,005 hospitalizations
Some 154 patients require intensive care due to the virus
Ontario is reporting 1,005 COVID-19 hospitalizations and 20 more deaths linked to the virus.
Thursday's reported hospitalizations are down slightly from 1,082 on Wednesday and 1,207 exactly one week ago.
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, 154 required intensive care — six less than Wednesday's total — and 72 patients needed the help of a ventilator to breathe.
Sixty per cent of people in ICU were admitted because of the virus, while the rest were admitted for other reasons and then tested positive.
The province reported at least 1,217 new daily cases of COVID-19 Thursday, with 13,542 tests completed within the past 24 hours. Due to testing limitations, officials say the actual number of daily new cases is likely far higher than the figure reported.
The provincewide test positivity rate stands at 8.4 per cent.
The new deaths reported Thursday push Ontario's pandemic death toll to 13,195.