The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Ontario has reached a five-month high and most public health indicators now point to a worsening wave of the pandemic.

The latest data released by the Ministry of Health suggests that there were 1,629 people hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Wednesday, up nearly 12 per cent from one week prior.

It is the highest number of people simultaneously in hospital with the virus since May 4.

The number of COVID patients being treated in intensive care also saw a similar jump over the last week, rising to 143 from 131.

Meanwhile, the positivity rate on PCR tests continued to tick upward.

Over the last seven days, 14.9 per cent of tests have come back positive, up from the 13.6 per cent the previous week and 12.4 per cent two weeks ago.

“We are absolutely seeing a rise in risks for COVID over the last several weeks in Ontario. An increase in hospitalizations, an increase in the use of our intensive care units. So COVID is not going away, it is a formidable foe,” Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said during an interview with CP24 on Thursday morning.

Wastewater surveillance has been showing a rise in viral levels in most parts of Ontario since around the second week of September.

The latest data showed that there were 9,408 new COVID cases detected through PCR testing over the last seven days, marking the fifth consecutive week in which that number has risen.

The number of outbreaks in the handful of settings with widespread access to PCR testing is also increasing.

As of Wednesday, there were a total of 179 active outbreaks at long-term care homes and 160 active outbreaks at retirement homes, compared to 159 and 144 at the same point last week.

Speaking with CP24, Moore said that this could be a “complex and difficult winter” and urged Ontarians to ensure that they are up to date on their vaccination.

“We need to protect Ontarians against this virus as we go indoors. We all have to maintain all of those layers of protection but one of the most fundamental is staying boosted,” he said. “These vaccines provide a great increase in our immune protection and will decrease our risk at an individual and community level.”

The ministry also added another 48 net new deaths to its COVID-19 tally on Thursday. Since the onset, of the virus a total of 14,475 Ontarians have died as a result of COVID-19.