The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) reported one new case of the novel coronavirus on Saturday, bringing the region’s total to 634.
A new recovery was also reported, increasing the number of recovered cases to 561.
The death count remains unchanged at 57.
The new case was reported in London, Ont., where there are now 588 cases, and it does not involve a heath-care worker and is not linked to a seniors’ facility, according to the health unit. The MLHU adds the person is between 20-29 years of age.
At least 16 cases remain active in the region.
Across the region, at least 23 cases have been reported in Strathroy-Caradoc, 10 in Middlesex Centre, six in Thames Centre, five in North Middlesex, and one each in Lucan Biddulph and Southwest Middlesex.
The region’s 14-day average for new cases stands at 1.4.
The city’s two COVID-19 assessment centres continue to see steady turnout, with around 530 people visiting daily.
According to the health unit, as of June 28, the most recent figure available, the region’s per cent positivity rate stood at 0.1 per cent, down from a peak of 8.1 per cent at the end of March, when tests weren’t as readily available to the public.
According to the health unit, people in their 20s make up the largest number of cases with 135, just over 21 per cent.
People over 80 make up 106 cases, or 16 per cent, while people in their 50s make up 98 cases, or 15 per cent.
A vast majority of the cases in recent weeks have been community-sourced, and not linked to local seniors’ facilities.
Overall, long-term care and retirement homes have seen at least 180 cases and 37 deaths.
No outbreaks have been active at any local seniors’ home since last Thursday when an outbreak at Westmount Gardens was declared over.
As many as 26 outbreaks have been declared locally during the pandemic, with at least 21 that have been at long-term care and retirement homes.
According to London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), the number of COVID-19 patients in its care is between zero and five, while at St. Joseph’s Health Care, no patients were being treated at any of its facilities.
At the hospitals, at least 42 staff have tested positive during the pandemic at LHSC. An updated figure has not been released since early June, with LHSC saying it will only do so if staff cases rise by five or more.
St. Joseph’s has had at least 19 cases involving staff during the pandemic.
Health-care workers in the region make up 146 of the region’s cases, or 23.1 per cent.
Ontario
Ontario reported 130 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Saturday, bringing the provincial total to 36,594.
Six new deaths were also announced, bringing the provincial death toll to 2,716.
A total of 32,422 cases are considered resolved, which makes up 88.6 per cent of all confirmed cases.
More than 29,500 additional tests have been processed, bringing the total number of tests completed in the province to 1,665,693.
Elgin and Oxford
Officials with Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) reported one new case of COVID-19 on Saturday.
There are now 87 cases in the region, which includes 79 recoveries and five deaths.
Three cases are active, two of which are in Woodstock and the other in Dutton/Dunwich.
The latest death was reported last Friday, the first since April 22, involving a 68-year-old woman from the Aylmer, Ont., area.
The woman had been admitted to hospital on July 1 in Tillsonburg, Ont., and died the same day. The health unit says she was found to have had the virus following her death.
A total of three outbreaks have been declared in the region, all since resolved.
A total of 12,160 tests were received Saturday, with 173 pending results.
The region’s test per cent positivity rate has dropped to 0.7 per cent.
Huron and Perth
Officials with Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) do not issue updates on weekends.
As of Friday, no new cases, deaths, or recoveries were reported.
The cumulative number of cases remains unchanged at 58, of which 52 people have recovered and five have died, leaving just one active case.
It was the seventh day in a row that the region hasn’t seen a new confirmed case.
Effective next week, face masks will be required inside commercial establishments in Huron and Perth, the region’s medical officer of health announced Thursday.
The list of such establishments “includes but is not limited to retail and convenience stores; malls; enclosed farmers’ markets; and business offices with space open to the public,” a health unit statement said.
At least 26 cases and four deaths have been reported in Stratford, 14 cases have been reported each in Huron and Perth counties and four cases and one death have been reported in St. Marys.
The four Stratford deaths were linked to an outbreak at Greenwood Court. At least nine outbreaks have been declared in the region. All have since resolved.
As of Wednesday, 9,286 people had been tested in the region.
Sarnia and Lambton
No new cases, deaths or recoveries were reported late Friday by officials with Lambton Public Health.
It’s the eighth day in a row that the county has not seen a new confirmed coronavirus case.
At least 286 cases have been confirmed in the county, of which two remain active.
Health officials say 259 people have recovered and 25 have died — a tally that hasn’t changed since early June.
The health unit officially announced Wednesday that it would not be issuing a county-wide mask order.
Bluewater Health says it continues to see no COVID-19 patients in its care. The last COVID-19 patient to be discharged from the hospital was released on June 14.
The hospital reported Friday that it had 17 people in its care who were awaiting test results, three less than the day before.
At least 57 people have had to be hospitalized for the virus during the pandemic, most of which in March and April. At least 19 hospital staff have tested positive since March.
Nine outbreaks have been declared in the county, linked to 105 cases and 16 deaths. All have since resolved. All 16 deaths, and most cases, are tied to outbreaks at Bluewater Health and Vision Nursing Home.
More than 13,981 test results have been received by local health officials.
The region’s test per cent positivity rate sits at 2.0 per cent.
— With files from Global News’ Ryan Rocca and Matthew Trevithick
Comments