The total number of COVID-19 cases in London and Middlesex rose by two on Friday after health officials with the Middlesex-London Health Unit confirmed cases involving people in their 20s and 30s.
One case involves a male in his 20s, who contracted COVID-19 through travel to an unspecified location. The other involves a woman in her 30s whose transmission source hasn’t been determined.
It comes after two cases were confirmed in the region on Thursday, one involving a hospitalized male in his 20s who contracted the novel coronavirus through undetermined means, and a woman in her 30s who became infected during a recent trip to the U.S.
Five local cases were also confirmed on Wednesday, involving a man in his 30s who got infected through close contact, a woman in her 60s whose cause is unclear, a woman in her 70s who travelled to Portugal, a woman in her 70s who travelled to the Philippines, and a woman in her 80s who contracted the virus through close contact and is in hospital.
Outside of London and Middlesex, Elgin County saw its fourth case of COVID-19 confirmed on Friday involving a male in his 70s who has been hospitalized. How they became infected is being determined, according to Southwestern Public Health.
The county’s other three cases involve a man in his 70s who became infected through travel and is in hospital, a woman in her 30s who became infected through close contact, and a man in his 30s who became infected through close contact and is in hospital.
In Lambton County, health officials there reported the county’s sixth and seventh confirmed cases on Friday involving two patients, one in their 70s and one in their 80s, who are both in hospital.
According to Lambton Public Health, the two cases matched “the age demographic of others who have been previously identified in the hospital,” referring to the five hospitalized cases confirmed on Wednesday.
Those cases involve two women in their 60s and 70s, and three men, one in his 70s and two in their 80s.
“The investigation into their contacts is ongoing,” Lambton health officials said.
Ontario has confirmed at least 993 COVID-19 cases, as of mid-morning Friday. Of those cases, 967 are active, and eight have resolved.
At least 18 people have died from COVID-19 in the province. Three of the deaths were reported on Friday, including two at a nursing home in Bobcaygeon, Ont. where an outbreak has also left at least 14 staff infected.
Test results are currently pending on more than 10,000 Ontarians.
Nationally, more than 4,500 cases had been confirmed in Canada as of Friday afternoon, including 254 resolved cases, and 53 deaths.
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.
For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.
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