More long-term care home deaths are among the sobering latest COVID-19 predictions from the province.
Co-Chair of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, Dr. Steini Brown, says care homes have seen over 1,100 deaths in the second wave so far.
“Under at least the worst-case scenario, we will be looking at over 2,600 deaths by Valentine’s Day, which is significantly higher than the first wave,” he says.
Brown also warns that total daily deaths from the virus are increasing, and could reach 100 deaths per day between now and the second week of February.
The modelling shows Ontario could have 700 COVID-19 patients in intensive care in the first week of February, and Brown says less optimistic forecasts put that number between 1,000 and 1,500 patients.
Brown says half of hospitals have either no free intensive care unit beds, or just one or two free.
Provincial officials add that there are now 14 cases of the more contagious UK coronavirus variant, called B117. They add it is 56% more transmissible than the main COVID-19 strain.
