2 new coronavirus cases in London-Middlesex, 3 new cases in St. Thomas, Ont.

London-Middlesex is reporting two new cases of the novel coronavirus on Sunday along with three more recoveries.

Officials with the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) say there are now a total of 646 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region.

The number of recoveries has increased to 575. The death count has stayed at 57 for at least five weeks.

According to health unit data, both new cases are from London and neither is associated with any seniors’ homes.

In London, there have been at least 597 cases of COVID-19 reported. Elsewhere, 23 cases have been reported in Strathroy-Caradoc, 12 in Middlesex Centre, six each in North Middlesex and Thames Centre, and one case each in Lucan Biddulph and Southwest Middlesex.

London-Middlesex entered Stage 3 of the province’s COVID-19 reopening plan Friday.

The health unit announced Friday that the region’s medical officer of health, Dr. Chris Mackie, had issued an instruction under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act to require that operators of enclosed public spaces put measures in place mandating the use masks by the public at all times while on their premises.

The instruction came into effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

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In addition, Mackie said he’s recommending that Middlesex municipalities put in place their own temporary bylaws requiring people to wear masks or face coverings within enclosed publicly accessible spaces.

Such a bylaw will go before city councillors for a vote next week.

Mackie has also introduced a separate mandatory mask policy that will go into effect starting Monday, July 20. It asks for public transit riders as well as people inside businesses or facilities where close contact cannot be avoided to wear a mask.

According to health unit data, the largest age group to see positive cases is people in their 20s. At least 135 cases, 21 per cent of all cases in the region, involve people in this demographic.

At least 107 cases, or 17 per cent, involve people in their 80s.

At least 26 outbreaks have been reported in the region, including 21 at long-term care and retirement homes. All outbreaks have resolved.

At least 181 cases and 37 deaths have been attributed to seniors’ facilities.

Around 23 per cent of COVID-19 cases in the region are health-care workers.

London Health Sciences Centre says the number of hospitalized patients in its care is fewer than five, while St. Joseph’s Health Care London says no COVID-19 patients are being treated at its facilities.

Ontario

Ontario reported 164 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Sunday, bringing the provincial total to 37,604.

A total of 33,407 cases are considered resolved, making up 88.8 per cent of all confirmed cases.

Three new deaths were also announced, bringing the death toll to 2,751.

“Locally, 28 of Ontario’s 34 public health units are reporting five or fewer cases, with 15 of them reporting no new cases at all,” Health Minister Christine Elliott said on Twitter.

Elgin and Oxford

Three new cases of COVID-19 were reported by officials with Southwestern Public Health on Sunday.

The total number of cases in the region has increased to 91, of which 80 have recovered and five have died.

The newest cases were all reported in St. Thomas, where there are now 21 cases.

Three other cases also remain active — two in Woodstock and one in Bayham.

SWPH says 13,328 tests had been administered as of Sunday, with 239 pending results.

The region’s test positivity rate remains at 0.7 per cent.

No outbreaks are active in the region. Three have been declared, with all being resolved.

Huron and Perth

Officials with Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) do not issue COVID-19 updates on the weekends.

As of Friday, the region’s total case count remained at 59, of which 52 have recovered and five have died, a tally that has not changed since late April.

One case remained active in Perth County.

Stratford has seen the highest number of cases with 26, followed by Perth County with 15, Huron County with 14, and St. Marys with four.

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Four deaths have been reported in Stratford, all linked to a since-resolved outbreak at Greenwood Court, while one death has been reported in St. Marys.

People in their 60s make up the largest age group of cases with 16, followed by people in their 50s with 12 cases, and people in their 30s with nine.

No hospitalizations have been reported since April, and nine outbreaks have been declared, linked to 23 cases and four deaths. All have since resolved.

At least 10,663 people had been tested as of Friday.

Sarnia and Lambton

Officials with Lambton Public Health (LPH) reported one new case of COVID-19 late Saturday evening.

There are now a total of 289 confirmed cases in the region with 260 recoveries and 25 deaths.

Four cases are active in the region, according to the health unit.

The region is among the few in Ontario that did not move ahead to Stage 3 of the province’s reopening plans Friday.

Premier Doug Ford has not offered a timeline yet on when the region, and others that are stuck behind in Stage 2, will be able to move ahead, but says he will provide weekly updates.

No COVID-19 patients are in the care of Bluewater Health hospital as of Sunday, according to the organization. Fifteen patients were awaiting COVID-19 test results, no change from the day before.

The hospital hasn’t seen a confirmed patient in its care since June 14.

According to the health unit, 15,060 test results have been received, with 1.9 per cent of tests coming back positive.

— With files from Global News’ Matthew Trevithick and Ryan Rocca