Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table: COVID-19 Hospitalizations, ICU Admissions and Deaths Associated with the New Variants of Concern | Unpublished
Hello!
×

Warning message

  • Last import of users from Drupal Production environment ran more than 7 days ago. Import users by accessing /admin/config/live-importer/drupal-run
  • Last import of nodes from Drupal Production environment ran more than 7 days ago. Import nodes by accessing /admin/config/live-importer/drupal-run

Unpublished Opinions

unpubadmin's picture
Ottawa, Ontario
About the author

Unpublished.ca is a web portal on politics and current affairs in Canada. It provides the opportunity for Canadians to dig deeper into the issues affecting them, and to weigh-in on these issues in a persuasive and respectful way. Join the movement and have your say today!

Like it

Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table: COVID-19 Hospitalizations, ICU Admissions and Deaths Associated with the New Variants of Concern

March 29, 2021

As of March 28, 2021 new variants of concern (VOCs) account for 67% of all Ontario SARS-CoV-2 infections. The B.1.1.7 variant originally detected in Kent, United Kingdom accounts for more than 90% of all VOCs in Ontario, with emerging evidence that it is both more transmissible and virulent.

Questions: What are the risks of COVID-19 hospitalization, ICU admission and death caused by VOCs as compared with the early variants of SARS-CoV-2? What is the early impact of new VOCs on Ontario’s healthcare system? 

New variants of concern (VOCs) now account for 67% of all Ontario SARS-CoV-2 infections. Compared with early variants of SARS-CoV-2, VOCs are associated with a 63% increased risk of hospitalization, a 103% increased risk of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and a 56% increased risk of death due to COVID-19.

VOCs are having a substantial impact on Ontario’s healthcare system. On March 28, 2021, the daily number of new SARS-CoV-2 infections in Ontario reached the daily number of cases observed near the height of the second wave, at the start of the province-wide lockdown, on December 26, 2020.

The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 is now 21% higher than at the start of the province-wide lockdown, while ICU occupancy is 28% higher (Figure 1). The percentage of COVID-19 patients in ICUs who are younger than 60 years is about 50% higher now than it was prior to the start of the province-wide lockdown.

Because the increased risk of COVID-19 hospitalization, ICU admission and death with VOCs is most pronounced 14 to 28 days after diagnosis, there will be significant delays until the full burden to the health care system becomes apparent.

See the .pdf of the report below for more...