One person has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, while two people have recovered, officials with the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) reported Tuesday.
The update brings the total number of confirmed cases in the region to 647, of which 578 people have recovered and 57 have died. No deaths have been reported since June 12.
The new case was reported in London and involves a person in their 30s, health unit data shows. The case does not involve a health-care worker nor is it linked to a seniors’ home.
At least 598 confirmed 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.
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The region’s seven-day average for new cases stands at one per day as of Tuesday. Looking back 14 days to July 7, the average is 1.28.
The region’s test positivity rate stood at 0.1 per cent as of the week of July 5, according to the health unit’s most recent available data.
That’s compared to the 8.2 per cent positivity rate the area saw in late March when tests were harder to come by for members of the general public.
The cumulative incident rate for London and Middlesex is around 127 cases per 100,000 people, according to the health unit. Ontario’s rate is 254 cases per 100,000.
The city’s assessment centres have seen steady visitations, averaging around 300 people per day over the last seven to eight days.
Council is inching towards implementing a temporary mask bylaw.
Councillors, sitting as the strategic priorities and policy committee, voted 13-1 Monday in favour of adopting a bylaw that mandates masks in public establishments. Coun. Michael Van Holst was the lone opponent.
Politicians will sit again on Tuesday as full council, where a similar vote is expected to put the bylaw into place.
The bylaw is in addition to a Section 22 order issued under the Health Protection and Promotion Act by the region’s medical officer of health, Dr. Chris Mackie, which mandates masks on buses, in vehicles for hire and in certain high-risk businesses.
A separate instruction has also been issued by Mackie through the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act mandating masks in all indoor enclosed public spaces in the city and county.
Both the order and the instruction are in effect.
According to the health unit, people in their 20s account for most of the region’s cases with 135, or 20 per cent, followed by people in their 80s with 107, or 16.5 per cent.
The health unit says about 40 per cent of cases involving 20-somethings is due to contact with a confirmed case.
Of those in their 80s, nearly 85 per cent are linked to outbreaks, health unit data shows.
People in their 50s make up 100 cases, or 15 per cent, with 34 per cent linked to outbreaks, and 39 per cent having no known link.
At least 112 people have had to be hospitalized due to COVID-19 in the region, including 31 who needed intensive care.
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Nearly all, some 90 per cent, of hospitalized cases involve people over the age of 50. Only 14 hospitalized cases have involved people under 50.
Few people, if any, were hospitalized for COVID-19 as of Tuesday. St. Joseph’s Health Care reported no such patients in its care, while London Health Sciences Centre has not issued a tally since June 10, saying it will do so only if COVID-19 patient cases rise above five.
At least 26 outbreaks have occurred in the region, including 21 at long-term care and retirement homes. All outbreaks have been resolved.
At least 181 cases and 37 deaths have been attributed to seniors’ facilities. However, the homes account for a lower percentage of cases now than compared to the peak of the pandemic in April and May.
Of the at least 19 cases reported this month, three have been linked to seniors’ homes.
According to the health unit, one of the cases reported over the weekend involved a long-term care home staff member. The case did not prompt an outbreak declaration, however.
Ontario
Provincially, Ontario reported 203 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, the highest number recorded in several weeks. One death was also reported.
The total number of cases now stands at 37,942, which includes 2,753 deaths and 33,605 resolved cases.
There were 92 resolved cases newly reported Tuesday, meaning new cases have outpaced newly resolved cases for multiple days in a row.
The province says it was able to complete just under 23,000 tests the previous day.
Health Minister Christine Elliott says 57 per cent of Tuesday’s cases came from people under the age of 39.
She says Tuesday’s numbers are concerning and urged people to follow physical-distancing rules.
Elgin and Oxford
Two new cases have been reported by officials with Southwestern Public Health (SWPH).
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They bring the region’s cumulative case count to 93, of which 80 people have recovered and five have died, a tally that has not changed since July 3.
Both new cases were reported in St. Thomas, health unit data shows.
The city has a total of five active cases, while Woodstock has two and Bayham one.
No change was reported on Monday, while four new cases were reported over the weekend — three on Sunday and one on Saturday.
One patient was in intensive care as of Sunday, according to health unit data. It’s the first hospitalization to be reported since late April.
Overall, St. Thomas has seen the largest number of cases with 23, followed by Woodstock with 17 and Dutton/Dunwich with nine.
People in their 50s make up the largest age group with 25 cases, or 27 per cent, followed by people in their 60s and people in their 30s.
Three outbreaks have been declared. All have since resolved with no deaths linked to them.
SWPH says 14,028 tests had been administered as of Tuesday, with 260 pending results.
The region’s test positivity rate remains at 0.7 per cent.
Huron and Perth
One person has recovered from the novel coronavirus, according to health officials with Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH).
The region’s cumulative case count remains at 61, of which now 54 people have recovered. Five people have also died, a tally unchanged since late April.
The recovered case was reported in Perth County, where one active case still remains. One case is also active in Huron County.
Health officials reported two new cases on Monday in Perth and Huron counties and reported no change on Friday. No update was provided over the weekend.
People in their 60s make up the largest age group with 16 cases, followed by people in their 50s with 12 cases and people in their 30s with nine.
No hospitalizations have been reported since April.
Twenty-six cases and four deaths have been reported in Stratford during the pandemic, while 16 cases have been reported in Perth County and 15 in Huron County.
St. Marys has reported four cases and one death.
The health unit says the four deaths in Stratford are linked to an outbreak that occurred at Greenwood Court that was resolved in May. It was among nine outbreaks in total to be declared. All have resolved.
At least 10,900 people had been tested as of Tuesday.
Sarnia and Lambton
Two people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, officials with Lambton Public Health reported late Monday.
The new cases bring the region’s total case count to 290, of which 260 people have recovered and 25 have died. No deaths have been reported since early June.
There are now seven active cases in the region. All are in Sarnia, with all but two over the age of 60, health unit data shows.
Health officials reported one new case late Sunday and one new case late Saturday.
People over 80 make up about a quarter of all cases with 74. Of those, about half are linked to outbreaks that have been declared in the region during the pandemic.
Outbreaks also account for 20 per cent of all cases involving people in their 20s. The age group accounts for 32 per cent of all cases involving health-care workers.
No cases have been hospitalized at Bluewater Health. The hospital reported no COVID-19 patients in its care on Monday. It hasn’t seen any cases since June 14.
In total, 58 people have been reported hospitalized in Lambton County for the virus, according to the health unit.
At least 15,452 test results had been received by the health unit as of late Monday, with 1.9 per cent coming back positive.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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