Coronavirus: No new cases, 4 recoveries reported in London-Middlesex

No new cases of the novel coronavirus have been reported in London and Middlesex, local health officials said Tuesday.

Four people were reported to have recovered, bringing that total to 569.

At least 640 people have tested positive for the virus in the region since the pandemic began, a vast majority in London.

Fifty-seven people have also died, a tally that has not changed since June 12.

There are now 14 active cases in London and Middlesex, according to health unit figures.

Health officials reported one new case and one recovery on Monday, and reported six new cases and four recoveries over the weekend.

The region learned Monday that it will be one of several allowed to proceed to Stage 3 of the province’s reopening plans as of Friday.

At least 591 cases have been reported in London, while 23 have been reported in Strathroy-Caradoc and 12 in Middlesex Centre.

Elsewhere, six cases each have been reported in North Middlesex and Thames Centre, while one case each has been reported in Lucan Biddulph and Southwest Middlesex.

The region’s seven-day average for new cases stands at 1.57 per day as of Tuesday. Looking back 14 days to June 30, the average is one exactly.

According to the health unit, as of the week of July 5, the most recent figure available, the region’s test per cent positivity rate stood at 0.1 per cent.

That’s down from a peak of 8.2 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 age group of cases in the region with 135, or 21 per cent of all cases. Nearly half of all cases involving this age group are the result of contact with a confirmed case.

People over 80 make up 107 cases, or 16 per cent. At least 84 per cent of cases involving this age group are linked to outbreaks, according to the health unit.

At least 180 cases and 37 deaths are linked to seniors’ facilities, however fewer cases in recent weeks have involved the homes. Only two of the 14 cases reported so far this month have been connected to long-term care and retirement homes.

The last outbreak to be declared over in London and Middlesex was at Westmount Gardens on July 2.

It was among some 26 outbreaks that have been declared in the region during the pandemic, of which at least 21 were at seniors’ homes.

Some 23 per cent of cases involve health-care workers.

Hospitalizations remain unchanged, according to London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and St. Joseph’s Health Care.

The number of hospitalized cases remains between zero and five, according to LHSC, while at St. Joseph’s, no COVID-19 patients were being treated at any of its facilities.

At least 112 cases reported in the region have needed hospital care, with 31 patients needing admittance to intensive care.

A large majority of hospitalized patients — nearly 90 per cent — are people over 50.

According to the health unit, 40 per cent of hospitalized cases have been linked to outbreaks, while 33 per cent have no known link.

Ontario

Provincially, Ontario reported 111 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and one new death.

The total number of cases now stands at 36,950, which includes 32,785 marked as resolved and 2,723 deaths.

The province is also reporting 122 newly resolved cases Tuesday.

Ontario completed more than 16,744 tests for the novel coronavirus over the previous 24 hours.

The numbers of people in hospital, in intensive care and on ventilators because of the virus all increased slightly.

Health Minister Christine Elliott says 28 of Ontario’s 34 public health units are reporting five or fewer cases.

Elgin and Oxford

No new cases, deaths or recoveries have been reported by officials with Southwestern Public Health (SWPH).

The region’s confirmed case count remains at 87, of which 79 people have recovered and five have died — a tally that has not changed since July 3.

Health officials reported no change in cases, deaths or recoveries on Monday, and reported one new case Saturday in Woodstock.

The region will be among those allowed to progress to Stage 3 on Friday.

Three cases remain active in the region — two in Woodstock and one in Dutton/Dunwich.

Three outbreaks have been declared in the region. All have since resolved, with 10 linked cases and no deaths.

At least 12,893 tests have been administered in the region as of Tuesday, with 196 awaiting tests, the health unit said.

Of those, 0.7 per cent have come back positive as of Tuesday.

Huron and Perth

No new cases, deaths or recoveries have been reported in Huron and Perth counties, local health officials reported Tuesday.

The region’s confirmed case count remains at 58, of which 53 have recovered and five have died — a tally that has not changed since late April.

Health officials reported one recovery on Monday, bringing the number of active cases in the region to zero.

Tuesday marks the 11th day in a row that no new cases have been reported in the region.

The region will be among those allowed to progress to Stage 3 on Friday.

According to the health unit, 26 cases, including four deaths, have been reported in Stratford during the pandemic. The deaths were linked to an outbreak at Greenwood Court.

Elsewhere, 14 cases each have been reported in Huron and Perth counties, while in St. Marys, four cases, including one death, have been reported.

At least 10,482 people had been tested in the region as of Tuesday.

Sarnia and Lambton

No new cases, deaths or recoveries were reported Tuesday by officials with Lambton Public Health (LPH).

The total number of confirmed cases in the county remains unchanged at 286, of which 259 people have recovered and 25 have died — a tally that has not changed since early June.

It’s the 11th day in a row the county has not seen a new case reported.

No cases, deaths or recoveries were reported on Monday. The county has reported only one COVID-19 case since June 20.

Despite the lower case count, the region will remain in Stage 2 on Friday as much of the province moves to Stage 3.

No changes have been reported when it comes to hospitalizations. It’s been a month since Bluewater Health hospital in Sarnia discharged its last COVID-19 patient.

The hospital reported Monday that it had 16 people in the hospital with tests pending.

At least 19 hospital staff have tested positive since March, including three in its since-closed COVID-19 unit.

Fifty-seven people have been hospitalized in Lambton for COVID-19, a majority in March and April.

According to the health unit, 14,062 test results have 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