Health officials in London and Middlesex reported eight more people have tested positive for novel coronavirus Thursday, while one person has died, and 17 others have recovered.
It brings the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the area to 170, the number of deaths to eight, and the number of recovered cases to 48.
According to the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU), two of the new cases involve local long-term care or retirement homes. It’s unclear whether the infections involved residents or staff.
Other details about the new cases and the deceased patient were not immediately available.
Of the area’s total confirmed cases, 20 involve long-term care or retirement homes, according to MLHU.
COVID-19 outbreaks have been declared at nine long-term care and retirement homes in London and Middlesex, the most recent on Thursday on SM5 (St. Mary’s 5th floor) of Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care in London. No other information has been released.
They’re among nearly 70 outbreaks that have been declared across the province at long-term care and retirement homes.
Local outbreaks have also been declared at Sprucedale Care Centre, Earls Court Village, Meadow Park Care Centre, Kensington Village, Chelsey Park, Seasons Strathroy, Grandwood Park, and Henley Place.
One confirmed case of COVID-19 at a long-term care or retirement home is considered an outbreak, according to MLHU.
An outbreak was also declared over the weekend on the fifth floor of University Hospital in inpatient cardiology.
According to London Health Sciences Centre, as of Thursday, 17 COVID-19 patients were being treated at University Hospital — five in intensive care, while 10 were being treated at Victoria Hospital — four in intensive care.
Provincially, Ontario is now reporting 200 deaths from COVID-19 as of Thursday, an increase of 26 people since the day before.
There have been 483 new confirmed cases since Wednesday, bringing the provincial total to 5,759. Of those, more than 2,300 cases have been resolved.
Nationally, nearly 20,000 confirmed cases had been reported across the country as of late Thursday morning. Of those, nearly 5,000 had been marked as recovered, while just over 460 had died.
Federal health officials also released COVID-19 modelling for the first time on Thursday. A best-case projection indicates 11,000 to 22,000 deaths in Canada over the course of the pandemic.
Elgin and Oxford
Southwestern Public Health reported no new additional cases or deaths related to COVID-19 on Friday, maintaining the total number of confirmed cases at 27 — 18 of which remain active.
Health officials reported three new cases and one recovered case on Wednesday and three new cases on Tuesday. It’s not clear how many patients are in self-isolation or have been hospitalized.
Seven cases have been marked as resolved in the health unit’s jurisdiction, which includes Elgin and Oxford counties, while two people have died. The most recent death was reported on April 1.
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Both deaths involved patients from Elgin — a woman in her 70s who became infected through travel and a woman in her 80s who became infected through close contact.
So far, 12 cases have been reported in Elgin, including five in Dutton/Dunwich and four in St. Thomas, while 10 have been reported in Oxford, including five in Woodstock.
Huron and Perth
Twenty-eight confirmed cases have been reported in Huron and Perth counties after health officials confirmed four additional cases Thursday afternoon.
Three of the new cases have been reported in Stratford, while one is being reported in Perth County.
Other details about the cases were not immediately available.
Of the now 14 cases confirmed in Stratford, eight have been reported at the city’s Greenwood Court long-term care home, where six residents and two staff have tested positive.
Elsewhere, seven cases have been confirmed in Huron County, while five have been in Perth County — including one at Hillside Manor in Sebringville, Ont., involving a resident.
Two confirmed cases have been reported in St. Marys — Huron and Perth’s first two confirmed cases.
The area’s first confirmed case, a 64-year-old man, has since died in hospital. It has been the only death reported so far in Huron and Perth.
Two patients have recovered, HPPH says.
Sarnia and Lambton
Health officials with Lambton Public Health are reporting 11 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county, and say three previous cases have since recovered.
Ninety-eight confirmed cases have been reported in Lambton county, including eight recovered cases, and eight deaths.
Twenty-two of the county’s cases and four of its deaths are linked to the Landmark Village retirement home in Sarnia, Ont., where an outbreak has been declared, one of more than five dozen such outbreaks at long-term care and retirement homes across the province.
Fifteen residents at the facility have been confirmed positive, along with seven staff — one more than Wednesday.
As of Thursday, Lambton health officials said 582 tests had been conducted in the county, with 84 tests awaiting results.
Health officials say that as of Tuesday afternoon, the latest figures available, 80 per cent of Lambton’s cases had been confirmed in urban areas, with 20 per cent in rural.
The term “urban” included Sarnia, Bright’s Grove and Point Edward, while rural included the rest of the county, LPH said.
Sarnia’s Bluewater Health reported Thursday that 25 confirmed COVID-19 patients were being treated in the hospital, five fewer than Tuesday, while 11 were suspected positive or awaiting test results.
— With files from The Canadian Press, and Olivia Bowden of Global News
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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