Seven people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, six of them at local seniors’ homes, while eight more people have recovered, officials with the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) reported on Monday.
It brings the total number of confirmed cases in the region to 423 and the number of recovered cases to 264 — about 62 per cent of cases. The number of deaths remained unchanged at 40.
Health officials also reported a new outbreak had been declared in the region, bringing that total to 18, with 11 outbreaks still active.
According to the health unit, five of the new cases were reported at long-term care homes, involving two residents and three staff, and one was reported at a retirement home involving a staff member.
Six of the cases were reported in London, while one was reported in North Middlesex, MLHU figures show. A total of 391 cases have been confirmed in London since the start of the pandemic, while 17 cases have been reported in Strathroy-Caradoc, seven in Middlesex Centre, four in Thames Centre and four in North Middlesex.
The health unit reported four new cases and 11 recoveries on Saturday and two deaths, three new cases and 20 recoveries on Sunday.
Four of the cases and both deaths reported over the weekend were associated with local seniors’ facilities, according to MLHU figures. The two deaths were linked to retirement homes.
Following Monday’s update, long-term care and retirement homes now account for 131 of the region’s cases and at least 12 of the 18 outbreaks that have been declared. Of the 11 outbreaks that remain active in London and Middlesex, nine are at seniors’ facilities.
The most recent outbreak was declared on Sunday at Peoplecare Oakcrossing, a 160-bed long-term care home on Sarnia Road in west London, according to the health unit. One staff member at the facility tested positive and is in self-isolation at home, said a company spokesperson.
Eighty-five cases have been reported at long-term care homes, involving 52 residents and 33 staff, while 46 cases have been reported at retirement homes, involving 33 residents and 13 staff. It’s not clear how many cases are active. Sixteen deaths have also been associated with long-term care homes and six with retirement homes.
At least 212 outbreaks have been declared at long-term care homes across Ontario since mid-January, according to Public Health Ontario.
Elsewhere, local outbreaks remain active at Kensington Village Retirement, Kensington Village Long-Term Care Residence, Elmwood Place, Horizon Place, Meadow Park Care Centre, Earls Court Village, Grand Wood Park, Henley Place and Sisters of St. Joseph.
An active outbreak also remains in Victoria Hospital’s geriatric behavioural unit (C6-100), according to London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC).
According to LHSC, 39 staff members have tested positive for the novel coronavirus as of Monday, one more than reported on Friday. It’s not clear how many cases remain active and where in the hospital system the individuals worked.
LHSC figures show University and Victoria hospitals were treating a total of 25 COVID-19 patients on Monday, including eight in intensive care.
Provincially, Ontario reported 370 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, and 84 more deaths.
That brings the provincial total to nearly 18,000 cases, including 1,300 deaths and more than 12,500 resolved cases.
The new provincial case total is 2.1 per cent higher than the previous day, which is part of a downward trend.
The number of people in hospital dropped, as did the number of people in intensive care units, and the number of people on ventilators remained relatively stable.
There were 14,555 tests completed in the past 24 hours, the lowest total in four days, though officials have said there tends to be less demand on the weekends.
The province has been ramping up its return to normalcy, with a small list of mostly seasonal businesses allowed to reopen as the spread of COVID-19 slows.
Premier Doug Ford announced the plan on Friday, saying it should be seen as a “glimmer of hope” that Ontario’s efforts to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus are working.
The businesses allowed to reopen include garden centres that offer curbside pickup, lawn care and landscaping companies and automatic car washes.
Auto dealerships can reopen but by appointment only, and marinas and golf courses can begin maintenance.
Elgin and Oxford
One more person in Elgin and Oxford has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, health officials with Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) reported Monday.
It brings the total number of confirmed cases to 60.
According to SWPH, 37 people have recovered — about 61 per cent of cases — while four people have died, a number that has remained unchanged since April 22.
Over the weekend, health officials said four more people had recovered. No new cases or deaths were reported in the region.
The total number of outbreaks declared in the region also remained unchanged on Monday at two, one of them still active.
The outbreak at Caressant Care on Bonnie Place in St. Thomas was declared on April 21 after a staff member tested positive. No new cases have been reported at the facility.
Nineteen cases remain active in the region as of Friday, including at least seven in Elgin County — four in St. Thomas — and 12 in Oxford County — three in Woodstock and four in Tillsonburg.
As of Friday, 2,704 COVID-19 tests had been administered in the region, an increase of 30 from the day before.
The number of tests awaiting results now stands at 344, a decrease of 47 from Sunday.
Huron and Perth
The number of confirmed cases in Huron and Perth remains at 49 as of Monday, according to health officials with Huron Public Health (HPPH).
The health unit said no new cases, deaths or recoveries had been reported, keeping all figures the same as the day before, including 34 recoveries and five deaths.
The health unit reported over the weekend that two more people had tested positive, one in Stratford and the other in North Perth. The number of deaths and recovered cases remained unchanged.
The number of outbreaks also remains unchanged at five, with four still active.
The most recent outbreak was declared on Friday at Braemar Retirement Centre in North Huron after a staff member at the home tested positive.
A second staff member has since tested positive at the facility, health officials reported over the weekend.
Outbreaks also remain at Blue Water Rest Home in Bluewater, Ont., where one resident has tested positive, and at Huronview in Huron East, Ont., where one staff member has tested positive.
The region’s first declared outbreak also remains active.
Six residents and 10 staff members have tested positive and four people have died at Greenwood Court since an outbreak was declared at the facility in late March. It’s unclear how many cases are considered active.
Twenty-five of the region’s cases and four of its deaths have been reported in Stratford, HPPH figures show. Twenty people have recovered — about 80 per cent of cases.
Outside of Stratford, 12 cases have been confirmed in Huron County, including three in Bluewater and South Huron, two in Central Huron and one each in Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, Goderich, Huron East, and Morris Turnberry.
Nine of Huron’s cases have been marked as recovered. It’s unclear where in the county the recovered cases were located.
Ten cases have been confirmed in Perth, including three each in Perth East and North Perth, and two each in Perth South and West Perth. Four cases have been marked as recovered.
Two cases have been reported in St. Marys. One person later died, while the other has since recovered.
As of Monday, 1,689 COVID-19 tests had been administered in Huron and Perth. Of those, 326 are pending results.
Sarnia and Lambton
One person has tested positive and 10 others have recovered, officials with Lambton Public Health (LPH) reported late Sunday.
The update brings the total number of confirmed cases in the region to 189 and the number of recovered cases to 120 — about 63 per cent of cases.
Fourteen people have died, according to LPH, a figure that has remained unchanged since April 20.
The health unit reported five new cases and 20 recovered cases in updates released late Friday and late Saturday.
None of the cases reported are linked to three ongoing outbreaks at seniors’ facilities in Sarnia.
The longest active outbreak, declared on March 26, has been at Landmark Village. Health officials say 30 residents and 10 staff have tested positive at the retirement home since the outbreak was declared, and six residents have died.
Other outbreaks remain at Vision Nursing Home, where four residents and two staff have tested positive, and at Sumac Lodge, where one staff member has tested positive.
It’s not clear how many of the individual cases at the facilities remain active.
LPH figures show long-term care and retirement home residents account for at least 18 per cent of the county’s confirmed cases, while health-care workers account for at least 14 per cent.
At least 15 staff members at Bluewater Health hospital in Sarnia have tested positive over the course of the pandemic, according to a hospital spokesperson. As of Friday, all of the cases remained active.
Five cases had been acquired through work, while 10 had been acquired through the community. None of the staff were hospitalized as of Friday.
The hospital was treating nine COVID-19 patients as of Monday morning, the same as the day before, along with an additional 22 patients who were suspected positive or who were awaiting tests — two more than Sunday and seven more than Saturday.
— 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.
For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.
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