Another 16 people in Ontario have succumbed to the ravages of COVID-19, 10 of them residents of nursing homes, provincial authorities reported on Sunday.
The province has now had almost 4,000 people die from the novel coronavirus, data shows.
Authorities reported 1,677 new infections, a drop of around 10 per cent from a day earlier. Also falling were the number of patients in hospitals as well as those on ventilators.
However, ICU admissions rose by 16, bringing the total to 253 people needing intensive care.
The grim and rising toll among the province’s most frail has now occurred in 136 long-term care homes — roughly 20 per cent of Ontario’s facilities. COVID-19 is blamed for killing 2,391 residents, accounting for about 60 per cent of all deaths linked to the novel coronavirus.
Eight staff have also died.
While eight nursing homes managed to beat the spread of infections, according to new data, eight others reported outbreaks.
In an effort to slow the viral spread, York Region and Windsor-Essex are set for lockdowns, the most stringent level of restrictions under the province’s anti-pandemic plan. Starting Monday, indoor public events, dining in restaurants and bars, and close personal care services are off-limits. Indoor sports facilities also have to close, while non-essential retail is limited to curbside pickup.
