Almost half of record-high COVID deaths occurred in nursing homes

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Ontario’s record number of deaths from COVID-19 reported Thursday shows a harsh toll on seniors and those living in long-term care homes.

Of the 89 deaths reported in the latest update, 43 were residents of long-term care. Since the start of the outbreak, 2,928 of the 4,856 COVID deaths reported have taken place in nursing homes.

That amounts to a staggering 60% of all cases — though that is down from 64% of all deaths six months ago.

Data provided by the province shows that 61 of the new deaths reported were over the age of 80 while 24 were between the ages of 60 and 79 and 4 were between the ages of 40 and 59.

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These figures mirror what has happened from the start with COVID-19, a virus that has the hardest impact on older people and those with underlying health conditions, especially high blood pressure and heart disease.

For example, those over 80 have accounted for 69% of all deaths despite being just 4% of the population and 7% of all COVID-19 cases in Ontario. Just 209 deaths, less than 5% of the total, have occurred in people under 60.

Only one death has occurred in people 19 and under — though Toronto Public Health did acknowledge that the young person died from other causes but did have COVID-19 at the time. Ontario, like many jurisdictions, records a death as a COVID death whether the person dies from or with the virus.

The previous daily record for deaths was set on April 30.

blilley@postmedia.com

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CUMULATIVE DEATHS REPORTED

– 4,856

DEATHS REPORTED BY AGE GROUP

Ages 19 and under: 1

Ages 20-39: 21

Ages 40-59: 187

Ages 60-79: 1,299

Ages 80 and over: 3,347