Ontario reports 31 COVID-related deaths as expert says province has likely hit peak of 6th wave

Ontario is reporting 1,698COVID-19 hospitalizations and 31 more deaths linked to the virus Wednesday, as the head of the science table says the provincehas likely reached the peak of the sixth wave of the pandemic.

Dr. Peter Jni, the director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, said hospitalizations and infections seen in wastewater data are gradually slowing down.

"I think we're on the right track," Jni told CBC News Network Tuesday. "If it continues to [decrease], the way we are looking right now we should be getting back to normal over the next few weeks."

But Jni warned "it's important not to get ahead of ourselves," adding that Ontarians should continue to wear masks and limit contacts when possible.

"Right now, it looks as if it indeed could be the peak and perhaps in a week or so we could see a downward trend."

The province is now seeing an estimated 80,000 to 90,000 new daily virus infectionsthrough wastewater data, according to Jni.

Meanwhile, Wednesday's reported hospitalizationsmark a slight dipof one from the day before of 1,699.

Of those hospitalized, 199patientsarein intensive care, down from 202on Tuesday. Ninety-four of those in ICUs are breathing with the help of ventilators.

Both hospitalizations and ICU admissions are down slightly when compared to the same day last week,when hospitalizations were at 1,734and ICU admissions wereat 211.

According to the province, about 43per cent of hospital admissions reported Wednesday were directly related to the virus, while 57 per cent were for people who attended a hospital for other reasons and then tested positive.

When it comes to ICU admissions, 65 per cent were directly due toCOVID-19.

Limited laboratory testing confirmed an additional 2,488 cases of the viruswith 18,320 tests completed the day before.The test positivity rate sits at14.3 per cent.

The province's totalCOVID-linked death toll currently stands at 12,889.