Two more people have died and 17 others have tested positive for novel coronavirus, officials with the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) said Monday, while health officials in Huron-Perth and Sarnia-Lambton reported one death each.
It brings the total number of cases in London and Middlesex to 323 and the number of deaths to 22. The health unit says 138 people have recovered, a figure unchanged from Sunday.
One of the deaths was reported in a local long-term care home, while one other case was reported at a retirement home involving a resident, according to MLHU figures. No other information has been released.
The region’s long-term care homes have seen 51 cases of COVID-19, involving 33 residents and 18 staff as well as eight deaths. Meanwhile, 29 cases involving 22 residents and seven staff have been recorded at local retirement homes.
It comes on the heels of a weekend that saw four deaths reported, all involving local long-term care homes, as well as 24 new cases confirmed, six involving long-term care homes and four involving retirement homes.
Fourteen COVID-19 outbreaks have been declared in London and Middlesex as of Sunday afternoon, the most recent on Friday at Sisters of St. Joseph.
At least 10 of the outbreaks have been at local long-term care and retirement homes, including Grand Wood Park Retirement Residence, where officials on Friday reported that 14 residents had tested positive.
Those are in addition to the two positive cases reported at the facility in late March involving two staff members. The home’s remaining 39 residents were tested on Friday, said Revera, the company that operates Grand Wood Park, with test results expected this week.
Elsewhere, outbreaks have also been reported at Horizon Place, Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care (St. Mary’s 5th Floor), Sprucedale Care Centre, Earls Court Village, Meadow Park Care Centre, Kensington Village, Seasons Strathroy, and Henley Place.
One outbreak, declared April 2 at Chelsey Park, was marked resolved as of April 14.
Since the start of the pandemic, at least 114 outbreaks have been declared at Ontario long-term care homes. At least 1,317 residents, and 644 staff have been confirmed positive, while 250 people have died, including 249 residents and one staff.
Locally, outbreaks also remain active as of Sunday at St. Joseph’s Hospice, on the sixth floor of Zone C at Victoria Hospital (C6-100) and on the fifth floor of University Hospital in inpatient cardiology.
Provincially, Ontario reported 606 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, the largest single-day increase, and 31 new deaths.
Despite the large increase, the new total of 11,184 cases is just 5.7 per cent higher than the day before, continuing a relatively low growth trend. The total includes 584 deaths and 5,515 resolved cases.
The number of people in hospital confirmed to have COVID-19 and those on a ventilator went down slightly, while the number of people in intensive care remained stable.
Ontario health officials released updated COVID-19 modelling on Monday, saying the community spread of COVID-19 in Ontario appears to have peaked.
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Earlier modelling predicted a peak in May, but officials say restrictions including physical distancing have pushed the peak to now.
The latest modelling released today shows there are two types of outbreaks happening: community spread and long-term care spread.
The modellers say spread in long-term care and other congregate settings seems to be growing.
They also predict there will be fewer than 20,000 COVID-19 cases during the pandemic, much less than the previous forecast of 80,000.
Nationally, the number of people confirmed positive across Canada stood at more than 35,600 as of early Monday afternoon, including more than 12,100 recoveries and more than 1,600 deaths.
Elgin and Oxford
Health officials with Southwestern Public Health reported no new cases or deaths on Monday, and say one more person has recovered.
It brings the total number of resolved cases to 13.
The total number of confirmed cases remains at 44 while the number of deaths remains at three.
SWPH reported two additional cases and two recoveries over the weekend. Details about those cases was not immediately available.
Of the county’s 28 active cases, 18 are located in Elgin County, including seven in St. Thomas, while 10 are in Oxford County.
One case involves a health-care worker at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital.
One COVID-19 outbreak has been declared in the region involving Beattie Manor, a retirement home in Wardsville, located in western Elgin County. The outbreak was declared March 27 after a resident at the facility tested positive.
As of Monday, 1,271 COVID-19 tests had been administered in Elgin and Oxford counties, with 250 awaiting test results.
Huron and Perth
Huron Perth Public Health reported Monday that one more person had died and two more people had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
It brings the total number of deaths in the region to four, and the number of confirmed cases to 37. Officials also reported one additional person had recovered, bringing that total to 10.
Details about the deceased and the two new patients were not immediately available, other than that all three were from Stratford, according to HPPH figures.
According to HPPH, 21 cases and three deaths have been reported in Stratford alone.
Those deaths, and 11 of the cases, have been linked to an outbreak at Greenwood Court, a long-term care facility where six residents and six staff have tested positive. It’s not clear how many cases remain active.
The region’s other outbreak, declared last month at Hillside Manor in Sebringville after a resident tested positive, was marked as resolved on April 14.
Eight cases have been reported in Huron County since the start of the pandemic — two in Bluewater, two in South Huron and one each in Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, Central Huron, Goderich, and Huron East.
Six cases have been confirmed in Perth County, including two each in Perth East and Perth South, and one each in North Perth and West Perth.
Two cases — the region’s first two confirmed cases, one of whom later died — have been reported in St. Marys.
As of Monday, 979 COVID-19 tests had been administered in Huron and Perth, with 208 awaiting testing.
Sarnia and Lambton
Health officials in Lambton County reported Monday that one more person had died and 13 others had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
It brings the total number of deaths in the county to 14, and the total number of cases to 145. Fifty people have recovered, two more than Sunday.
Eleven of the new cases have been linked to Landmark Village, a retirement home in Sarnia, where 26 residents and eight staff members have tested positive, and six people have died.
The facility is home to one of two outbreaks reported in the county. The other, at Meadowview Villa, a long-term care home in Petrolia, was declared last week after a staff member at the home tested positive.
Over the weekend, Lambton Public Health (LPH) reported seven people had tested positive and three had recovered, while county officials issued a plea for anyone who had recently used a Sarnia-based taxi service to call the health unit.
Lambton officials said a local taxi driver for Greg’s Taxi tested positive, and anyone who used the service April 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, and 10 was being urged to contact LPH.
At least 11 of Lambton’s positive cases involve staff members at Sarnia’s Bluewater Health.
The hospital says four staff became infected through work and seven became infected through the community. None work in Bluewater’s COVID or intensive care units or its emergency department.
Bluewater spokesperson Julia Oosterman said Monday that all were still active cases and that mild to significant symptoms had been reported among those infected. None, she said, required hospitalization.
The hospital was treating 16 COVID-19 patients as of Monday morning, as well as 14 patients who were suspected positive or were awaiting tests.
As of Monday, 984 COVID-19 tests had been administered in the county. The number of tests awaiting results was not available.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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.
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