One person has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, while one person has recovered, officials with the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) reported Monday.
The update brings the total number of cases confirmed in the region to 640, of which 565 people have recovered, or about 88 per cent.
Fifty-seven people have also died, a tally that has not changed for a month as of Sunday.
Health unit figures show the new case was reported in London and does not involve a health-care worker, nor is it linked to a seniors’ home.
At least 591 cases have been reported in London, while 23 have been reported in Strathroy-Caradoc and 12 in Middlesex Centre. Elsewhere, six have been reported each in North Middlesex and Thames Centre, while one each has been reported in Lucan Biddulph and Southwest Middlesex.
Health officials reported five new cases and three recoveries on Sunday, one new case and one recovery on Saturday, and one new case and four recoveries on Friday.
The update comes the same day the provincial government unveiled that London and Middlesex will be among several regions allowed to progress into Stage 3 of Ontario’s reopening framework.
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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 of tests, down from a peak of 8.1 per cent at the end of March, when tests weren’t as readily available to the public.
The region’s seven-day average for new cases stands at 1.57 per day as of Monday, one per cent more than Friday. Looking back 14 days to June 29, the average is 1.07.
Breaking the region’s cases down by age, 21 per cent involve people in their 20s (135 cases), while people over 80 make up 16 per cent (107 cases) and people in their 50s 15 per cent (98 cases).
Of the region’s cases, 39 per cent are linked to outbreaks, while 26 per cent are listed as having no known link. Twenty-two per cent are due to close contact with a confirmed case.
No outbreaks have been active at any local seniors’ homes in nearly two weeks, after an outbreak at Westmount Gardens was declared over on July 2.
As many as 26 outbreaks have been declared locally during the pandemic, with at least 21 at local long-term care and retirement homes.
The facilities have seen at least 180 cases and 37 deaths, but have been linked to fewer cases in recent weeks.
According to the health unit, only two of the 14 cases reported so far this month have been connected to a seniors’ home.
It’s unclear how many people, if any, are in hospital in the London region.
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 least 112 of the cases reported in the region have needed hospital care, with 31 needing admittance to intensive care.
A bulk of hospitalized cases have involved people over 60, according to health unit figures.
Ontario
Provincially, Ontario reported 116 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday and three new deaths.
The total number of cases now stands at 36,839, which includes 32,663 marked as resolved and 2,722 deaths.
The province is also reporting 129 newly resolved cases Monday.
Ontario completed more than 20,896 tests for the novel coronavirus over the previous 24 hours.
The number of people in hospital because of the virus, in intensive care and on ventilators all slightly decreased.
Ontario says much of the province will progress to Stage 3 of the government’s COVID-19 reopening plan this week.
The province says 24 regions will move to the next stage on Friday, while 10 others _ including Sarnia-Lambton, Windsor-Essex, Toronto and Peel Region — will remain in Stage 2.
The government says more time is needed to assess those area’s readiness to move to the next stage.
The new rules will see restaurants, gyms, and casinos reopen, with limits on how many people can be inside at a time.
Indoor gathering limits will increase to a maximum of 50 people, while outdoor gathering limits will increase to a maximum of 100 people.
The province says it will still require people to practice physical distancing with anyone who is not in their 10-person “social circle.”
A number of businesses considered “high-risk” will remain closed, including amusement parks, buffet-style restaurants, and overnight children’s camps.
The government says outdoor playgrounds and play structures will be allowed to reopen in Stage 3.
Elgin and Oxford
No new cases, deaths or recoveries were reported Monday by officials with Southwestern Public Health (SWPH).
The total number of confirmed cases remains at 87, of which 79 people have recovered and five have died, a tally that has not changed since April.
Health officials reported one new case on Saturday in Woodstock. Previously, the health unit reported a new case on Wednesday, June 8.
The region will be among those allowed to progress to Stage 3 as of this Friday.
Overall, two cases remain active in Woodstock, while one case remains active in Dutton/Dunwich, one of the hardest-hit regions in the health unit’s jurisdiction when it comes to caseload.
The area has a population of just under 4,000 people and has seen nine cases reported.
Compare that to Woodstock, which has eight times the population, but fewer than double the cases.
Three outbreaks have been declared in the region. All have since resolved with no linked deaths.
At least 12,674 tests have been administered in the region as of Monday, with 180 awaiting tests, the health unit said.
Of those, 0.7 per cent have come back positive as of Monday.
Huron and Perth
One person has recovered from the novel coronavirus, officials with Huron Perth Public Health reported Monday.
The cumulative number of cases remains unchanged at 58, of which now 53 people have recovered and five have died.
The recovery means there are now no known active cases in the region, according to the health unit.
Monday also marks the 10th day in a row that no new case has been reported.
The health unit did not issue an update over the weekend, and reported no new cases, deaths or recoveries on Friday.
The region will be among those allowed to progress to Stage 3 as of this Friday.
Also starting Friday, masks will be required inside commercial establishments in the region.
At least 26 cases and four deaths have been reported in Stratford, 14 cases each have been reported 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.
As of Monday, 10,332 people had been tested in the region.
Sarnia and Lambton
No new cases, deaths or recoveries have been reported by health officials with Lambton Public Health.
The cumulative number of cases remains at 286, of which 259 people have recovered, 25 have died and two cases remain active.
It’s the 10th day in a row the county has not seen a new case reported. No new deaths have been reported since early June.
The region will not be among those allowed to progress to Stage 3 as of this Friday, and will remain in Stage 2 until further notice, according to the province.
Bluewater Health says it continues to see no COVID-19 patients in its care. It’s been just shy of a month since the hospital discharged its last COVID-19 patient on June 14 and shut down its dedicated unit.
The hospital reported Monday that it had 14 people in the hospital with tests pending. At least 19 hospital staff have tested positive since March.
According to LPH figures, as many as 57 people have had to be hospitalized due to COVID-19. A majority of hospitalizations occurred in March and April, when case numbers in the county were high.
People over 80 make up the largest percentage of cases in the county at 25 per cent, followed by people in their 50s — 16 per cent — and people in their 20s — 14 per cent.
At least 40 per cent of cases are tied to outbreaks in the county. At least nine have been declared, all since resolved. All outbreak-related deaths, 16, and nearly all outbreak-related cases, 94 of 105, were reported at two Sarnia seniors’ homes.
According to the health unit, 14,062 test results had been received, with two per cent of tests coming back positive, down from 2.1 per cent on Friday.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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