Health officials in London and Middlesex reported 12 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday along with one additional death.
It brings the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in London and Middlesex to 162, including seven deaths. The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) also reported that six more cases have recovered, bringing that total to 31.
Details on the new cases and the deceased patient were not immediately available.
One case involves a London bus driver, the London Transit Commission (LTC) confirmed Wednesday. Transit officials said they learned of the driver’s test results on Tuesday.
According to the LTC, the driver worked Route 20 between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. “on any of the days between March 24 and March 31.”
Health officials have said London and Middlesex is in the midst of a pandemic wave, with a peak expected in weeks, not months, before a notable decline in cases is observed.
The MLHU confirmed one death and 15 new cases on Tuesday and one new case on Monday. That came after a weekend that saw 42 cases confirmed.
According to the health unit, of the area’s 162 confirmed cases, 18 involve long-term care or retirement homes.
COVID-19 outbreaks have been declared at eight long-term care and retirement homes in London and Middlesex, the most recent on Monday at Sprucedale Care Centre in Strathroy, Ont.
- ‘Super lice’ are becoming more resistant to chemical shampoos. What to use instead
- Solar eclipse eye damage: More than 160 cases reported in Ontario, Quebec
- Invasive strep: ‘Don’t wait’ to seek care, N.S. woman warns on long road to recovery
- Canadian man dies during Texas Ironman event. His widow wants answers as to why
The health unit considers one confirmed case of COVID-19 at a long-term care or retirement home to be an outbreak.
Two outbreaks were declared over the weekend at Earls Court Village and Meadow Park Care Centre in London.
They’re among some 58 outbreaks that have been declared at long-term care homes across Ontario, according to the province.
One outbreak was also declared over the weekend on the fifth floor of University Hospital in inpatient cardiology.
Provincially, Ontario now has more than 5,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases after 550 new cases were reported on Wednesday, the largest single-day increase so far, including 21 more deaths.
It brings Ontario’s total number of cases to 5,276. The tally includes 2,074 resolved cases and 174 deaths.
The number of people in hospital has dropped since Tuesday, from 614 to 605, but more people are now in intensive care and on ventilators.
Canada had recorded more than 18,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday morning, including around 5,000 cases that have recovered and 402 deaths.
Elgin and Oxford
The number of confirmed cases in Elgin and Oxford counties stands at 27 as of Wednesday afternoon after three new cases were reported by Southwestern Public Health.
Of those cases, 11 cases have been reported in Elgin, including four in Dutton/Dunwich and four in St. Thomas., while 10 have been reported in Oxford, including five in Woodstock.
It’s not clear how many patients are in self-isolation or have been hospitalized.
Two cases have also been recorded as resolved, bringing that total to seven, while two patients have died.
Both deaths involved patients from Elgin County — a woman in her 70s who became infected through travel and a woman in her 80s who became infected through close contact.
Huron and Perth
Twenty-four confirmed cases have been reported in Huron and Perth counties as of Wednesday afternoon, an increase of one from the day before, according to Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH).
The new case was reported in Stratford, Ont., the health unit said. No further details were released.
According to HPPH, nearly half of the area’s cases involve two long-term care or retirement homes.
Six residents and two staff members have been confirmed positive at Greenwood Court in Stratford, while one resident has been confirmed positive at Hillside Manor in Sebringville, Ont.
The eight cases at Greenwood Court make up all but two of the 11 confirmed cases in Stratford, according to HPPH.
Elsewhere, seven cases have been confirmed in Huron County, four in Perth County and two in St. Marys.
One death has been reported in Huron and Perth. It involved the area’s first confirmed patient, later identified by local media as Craig MacDonald, owner of the St. Marys Foodland.
Two patients have recovered.
Sarnia and Lambton
Officials with Lambton Public Health have confirmed one additional case of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the county to 87.
Eight deaths have been reported in Lambton involving COVID-19 cases, while five cases have recovered.
One outbreak has been declared at Landmark Village retirement home in Sarnia, Ont., where health officials say 21 of the county’s cases and four of its deaths have been recorded.
Fifteen residents and six staff have been confirmed positive. Four residents have died, according to LPH.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the latest figures available, LPH said 80 per cent of Lambton’s cases had been confirmed in urban areas, with 20 per cent in rural.
The health unit said “urban” included Sarnia, Bright’s Grove and Point Edward, while rural included the rest of the county.
Nearly 70 per cent of Lambton’s cases involve patients over the age of 60, according to LPH, with 34.5 per cent over the age of 80. Thirty-one percent of patients are under 60.
Sarnia, Ont.’s Bluewater Health reported Tuesday that 30 confirmed COVID-19 patients were being treated in the hospital, while 12 were suspected positive or awaiting test results.
Like in London, the hospital said it and Lambton College are in the midst of converting the school’s east and west gymnasiums into a 150-bed field hospital in preparations for a potential influx, should Bluewater Health need additional capacity.
The 300-bed hospital is operating at 55 per cent capacity.
“Our hope is we do not need to move any patients to the Lambton College site, but we have to be ready for the worst case,” said Bluewater Health’s president and CEO, Mike Lapaine.
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.
Comments