The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in London and Middlesex rose by six on Monday while Lambton County reported a case count more than triple that from Friday, and Huron-Perth reported its first novel coronavirus patient death.
The six new cases confirmed by the Middlesex-London Health Unit involve three men in their 20s, one woman in her 20s, a man in his 40s, and a woman in her 90s.
Transmission source information was available for only two of the cases as of Monday morning. One of the men in their 20s, and the man in his 40s, became infected through travel, health officials said.
All are self-isolating, except for the woman in her 20s and the woman in her 90s. Both have been hospitalized.
It brings the total number of confirmed cases in London and Middlesex to 37.
The six come on the heels of a weekend that saw eight COVID-19 cases confirmed in London and Middlesex — two on Saturday and six on Sunday — and saw the area’s first reported death involving a patient who had tested positive.
The MLHU reported Saturday that a man in his 70s who had tested positive on Mar. 19 after becoming infected during travel to Portugal had died. No other information has been released.
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At least seven people had been hospitalized for COVID-19 in London and Middlesex, including the two hospitalized cases reported on Monday. The others include a man in his 60s and four women in their 40s, 60s, and 80s.
Five people have recovered, according to the health unit.
Provincially, Ontario confirmed 351 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, the largest single-day increase so far. The total number of cases now stands at 1,706, including 431 recoveries and 23 deaths.
Nationally, more than 7,300 cases had been confirmed across Canada as of early Monday evening, including at least 945 recoveries and 74 deaths.
Sarnia and Lambton
Just outside of London and Middlesex, health officials in Lambton County reported Monday that the number of confirmed cases there had more than tripled since Friday, jumping from eight to 28. Specific details on the new cases were not immediately available.
Lambton Public Health also reported that four deaths involving COVID-19 patients had been confirmed as of Monday morning. Two of the deaths were reported on Sunday involving patients in their 80s who had been admitted to Bluewater Health in Sarnia last week.
Both died three days after being admitted to hospital, and both were only confirmed positive on Sunday after officials received their test results, health officials said. One was admitted on Mar. 24 and died Mar. 27, while the other was admitted Mar. 26 and died Mar. 29.
No other information has been released about the two patients, and information was not immediately available about the third and fourth deceased patients.
Huron and Perth
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Huron and Perth counties stands at nine after officials with Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) reported Monday that lab confirmation of seven new cases was received over the weekend — three on Saturday and four on Sunday.
Health officials also reported the area’s first death involving a patient with COVID-19.
The deceased, a man in his 60s, had tested positive for the disease earlier this month and had been hospitalized at Stratford General Hospital.
“Health Unit staff began their investigation immediately upon being notified of the man’s diagnosis and have communicated with his close contacts,” the agency said in a statement. “All personal contacts have been in self-isolation since and continue to be monitored.”
Further information has not been released.
The first confirmed case in Huron and Perth involved a 64-year-old St. Marys man who tested positive on Mar. 14 after becoming infected during a recent trip to Mexico. The man was listed in critical condition in Stratford hospital as of Saturday, according to HPPH.
A 57-year-old woman who had close household contact with the man became the area’s second confirmed COVID-19 case after testing positive on Mar. 18. She remained at home in self-isolation as of Saturday.
Of the seven cases confirmed over the weekend, details have only been made public about four.
One involves a resident at Hillside Manor, a long-term care home near Sebringville, Ont., officials said in a news release on Monday. It’s the first confirmed positive case at a long-term care facility in Perth County.
Details of three other cases were made public in a media release issued on Saturday. (A similar media release was not issued on Sunday, and officials only highlighted the Hillside Manor case on Monday.)
One involves a St. Marys health care worker in her 40s who is now in self-isolation at home. Health officials said she had no history of travel or known contact with confirmed cases.
The other two cases involve men in their 60s.
One patient, a South Huron man, presented himself at South Huron Hospital in Exeter, Ont., and was later transferred to London Health Sciences Centre. Details of his current condition are not known.
The other patient is a Stratford man who is in self-isolation after becoming infected through close contact with two confirmed cases from London and Middlesex, health officials said.
Elgin and Oxford
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has also risen in Elgin and Oxford counties after health officials with Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) confirmed two new cases on Monday — one in St. Thomas and one in Oxford County.
The agency covers Elgin and Oxford counties and St. Thomas.
Health officials say the St. Thomas case involves a man in his 70s who has been hospitalized. It’s not yet clear how he became infected.
The Oxford case, the county’s third, involves a male in his 40s who is now self-isolating. How he became infected is also not yet known.
Including the St. Thomas case, seven COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Elgin County, four involving patients who have been hospitalized, according to SWPH. Only one, the county’s first case, involves a patient under 60.
Two cases were confirmed on Saturday, both involving patients over 60 who became infected through close contact, said SWPH. One, a woman in her 90s, has been hospitalized, while the other, a woman in her 60s, is self-isolating, officials said.
Oxford County’s second confirmed case was also reported on Saturday involving a man in his 70s who has been hospitalized after contracting the disease during travel to an unspecified location.
Oxford’s first case, involving a man in his 30s, has since been marked as resolved.
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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