Ontario reported 1,550 people hospitalized with COVID-19 on Tuesday, as the province prepares to further ease public health measures meant to curb the spread of the virus.
The number of hospitalizations is up from 1,369 the day before and down from 2,254 at the same time last week.
According to the Ministry of Health, 54 per cent of those people were admitted to the hospital specifically for COVID-19 treatment while 46 per cent were admitted for other reasons but have tested positive for the virus.
Of those, 384 people are in intensive care units. Nearly 80 per cent were admitted to intensive care specifically for the virus, while the rest were admitted for other reasons and tested positive.
The province is also reporting 19 new deaths, pushing its official death toll to 12,120.
About 37 per cent of long-term care homes in the province have active COVID-19 outbreaks, provincial data shows.
Ontario isn't reporting data on COVID-19 cases in schools, but five schools are closed for operational reasons and 206 schools are reporting student and staff absence rates of 30 per cent or higher.
On Monday, Premier Doug Ford the province is moving up the second phase of its COVID-19 reopening plan to by four days to Thursday as key health indicators continue to improve.
All capacity limits in restaurants, bars, cinemas and gyms will be lifted on that day, a move that was set to take effect on Feb. 21.
Ford also announced the government's plans to remove its proof of vaccination system on March 1. Masking requirements will remain in place for now.
The announcement was met with criticism by NDP leader Andrea Horwath who said ending vaccine certificates is "risky and scary."
WATCH | Ford says it's 'time to move on':
At a news conference in Hamilton on Tuesday, Ford was asked by a reporter how removing the vaccine system and giving business owners the option to continue enforcing them might affect their business.
"It doesn't matter if you have one shot or 10 shots, you can catch COVID," Ford said. Public health officials have noted vaccines can seriously reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death.
"We cannot stay in this position forever," Ford said, noting almost everyone knows people who are unvaccinated.
"Sure there is rabble-rousers, and then there is just hard working people that don't believe in it," he said. "That is their choice."
"I hate as a government telling anyone what to do," he said. "Everyone is done with this... but as a start, [we're] moving on cautiously."
Ontario reports 1,550 people hospitalized with COVID-19, 19 more deaths - CBC.ca
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