Glitch in Ontario's coronavirus reporting resulted in missed cases on Thursday
The Province of Ontario confirms there are 27 more COVID-19 related deaths, with 428 new cases, as of Friday morning, but there was a “glitch” in the reporting on Thursday.
While it appears that this marks a significant increase compared to Thursday’s 258, the lowest number reported since March, both days’ reporting are in fact incorrect.
According to Christine Elliot, the Minister of Health, there was a “small glitch” from Thursday’s coronavirus reporting.
“Because of a one-time data upload issue, yesterday missed 87 cases. While they’re captured in today’s update, the real day-over-day numbers are 345 new cases on May 14 and 341 today.”
We’ve learned of a small glitch with yesterday’s #COVID19 reporting. Because of a one-time data upload issue, yesterday missed 87 cases. While they’re captured in today’s update, the real day-over-day numbers are 345 new cases on May 14 and 341 today.
— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) May 15, 2020
This means that Friday’s cases should be 341, which is four cases less than Thursday’s 345, indicating a slight downward trend.
“That means Ontario’s new daily cases continue to trend downward as we expand our COVID-19 testing guidelines to ensure we keep a close eye on any shifts in community spread and identify and contain new cases,” said Elliott.
The province’s total is now 21,922 but 75.9% of the cases have been resolved, with 16,641 patients recovered.
A total of 1,825 people have died from coronavirus in Ontario, and there are 14,373 cases currently under investigation.
Ontario has expanded its testing guidelines for coronavirus since May 14.
According to Elliott, anyone in Ontario with coronavirus symptoms can now be tested.
“As we plan for a gradual reopening, today the Chief Medical Officer of Health will expand COVID-19 testing guidelines so that anyone with symptoms can be tested,” Elliott said in a tweet. “Doing so will help identify and contain new cases and monitor any shifts in community spread to keep Ontarians safe.”
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According to the Public Health Ontario Daily Epidemiologic Summary (iPHIS), there are 263 outbreaks with 823 resident deaths.
However, the Ministry of Long-Term Care Daily Report, there have been 186 outbreaks reported in long-term care homes. And, they report 1,320 resident deaths.
Government of Ontario
According to Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Ontario relies on local public health units to report on the coronavirus, both in the community and in long-term care homes, through iPHIS, in which there is a delay in the data being received.
At the same time, the Ministry of Long-Term Care has started collecting information about coronavirus in long-term care homes through its network of inspectors.
There were 18, 354 tests completed from the previous day. To date, a total 510,841 have been tested across Ontario.
The Greater Toronto Area public health units account for more than half of the cases at 62.6%.
Of the total cases, 42.1% are male and 57.2% are female, with 42.7% of cases age 60 years and older.
To date, there are 986 hospitalized, with 179 in ICU, and 135 patients are on ventilators.
Government of Ontario
The daily summary is based on data reported by the 34 public health units across Ontario and recorded in the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), according to the Ontario government.
iPHIS is the Ministry of Health’s disease reporting system where data is regularly updated, and where each daily summary is pulled at 4 pm the previous day.
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