Two people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in London and Middlesex, while seven people have recovered, officials with the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) reported Thursday.
That brings the region’s total case count to 726, of which 644 people have recovered. Fifty-seven people have also died during the pandemic, a tally unchanged since June 12.
There are at least 25 known active cases in London and Middlesex, according to the health unit. Twenty-three of them are in London, while one is in Lucan Biddulph and the other is in Thames Centre.
The two cases reported Thursday both involve people from London in their 30s, health unit data shows. ‘No known link’ is listed as the acquisition source for one, while ‘pending or undetermined’ is listed for the other.
Neither is a health-care worker or affiliated with any seniors’ facility.
The health unit reported two new cases and four recoveries on Wednesday, one recovery on Tuesday, one case Monday, and two cases and four recoveries over the weekend.
At least 672 of the region’s cases have been reported in London, while 26 have been in Strathroy-Caradoc and 12 in Middlesex Centre. Seven cases have been in Thames Centre, six in North Middlesex, two in Lucan Biddulph and one in Southwest Middlesex.
The region’s seven-day average for new cases stands at 1.0 as of Thursday. Looking back 14 days to Aug. 13, the average is 2.35.
As of Thursday, the region’s cases per 100,000 rate stood at 143.0, while Ontario’s was 280.5.
The region’s test positivity rate stood at 0.2 per cent as of the week of Aug. 16, the most recent figures available. Ontario’s was 0.4 per cent. The health unit tested 4,412 people that week.
No outbreaks are currently active in the region. At least 27 have been declared during the pandemic, including 21 at seniors’ facilities. Outbreaks are tied to 190 of the region’s cases and 35 of its deaths.
At least six cases this month have involved staff members at long-term care and retirement homes, however none have prompted outbreak declarations at the facilities.
The most recent staff case was reported Aug. 19 involving a retirement home worker. That case remains active.
The most recent case to involve a seniors’ home resident was reported June 16, health unit figures show. The resident later recovered.
At least 114 people have had to be hospitalized during the pandemic, including 32 who required intensive care.
Health unit figures show no one is currently in hospital with COVID-19.
People in their 20s remain the largest group of cases, accounting for 153 cases, or about 21 per cent.
In other age groups, people in their 50s make up 109 cases, while people 80 and older account for 107 and people in their 30s total 100 cases.
At least 58 per cent of cases involve women, while 22 per cent involve health-care workers — of which 83 per cent are listed as women.
Ontario
Provincially, Ontario reported 118 new cases of COVID-19 and one death on Thursday.
The total number of cases now stands at 41,813, which includes 2,803 deaths and 37,940 cases marked as resolved.
There were 77 cases newly marked as resolved in Thursday’s report.
Health Minister Christine Elliott says 28 of Ontario’s 34 health regions are reporting five or fewer new cases.
She says 18 of those reported no new cases at all.
The province was able to complete 28,625 tests in the previous day.
Elgin and Oxford
Six people have recovered from the novel coronavirus, officials with Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) reported on Thursday.
The region’s total case count stands at 254, of which 224 people have recovered and five have died, most recently in early July.
Health officials reported six new cases on Wednesday, one new case and three recoveries on Tuesday, no change on Monday, three cases on Sunday and two cases on Saturday.
There remain at least 25 known active cases in the region. Thirteen of them are in Aylmer, six are in Bayham, three are in St. Thomas and three are in Woodstock.
Aylmer, with a population just under 8,000, remains the hardest-hit municipality in SWPH’s jurisdiction. The town has reported a total of 82 cases, more than double that of Bayham and St. Thomas, which have reported 38 and 37, respectively.
As of Thursday, Aylmer’s overall case rate stood at an equivalent 1,095 cases per 100,000 people, more than nine times the region’s average case rate of 119.6 per 100,000.
In comparison, London’s case rate is 166, while St. Thomas’s is 95 and Woodstock’s 22.
Health unit figures released this week show coughing has been the most common symptom among confirmed cases at 44 per cent, followed by fever at 36 per cent, fatigue and headache at 33 per cent each and sore throat at 28 per cent.
Of the region’s cases, 102 are attributed to close contact with another case and 38 to workplace exposure, 27 involve health-care workers, 23 are linked to travel, 13 are related to social gathering, and one involves a resident of an institution.
Fifty-five cases are listed as ‘unknown’ in terms of their exposure.
Health unit figures show 23 people have had to be hospitalized during the pandemic, including 11 in intensive care. Two patients were listed as being in intensive care as of Thursday.
The region’s test-positivity rate was 0.5 per cent as of the week of Aug. 16, the most recent figures available.
Huron and Perth
The number of active cases in Huron and Perth counties has decreased by five to 21, officials with Huron Public Health (HPPH) said Thursday.
The total number of confirmed cases remains at 115. It’s not yet clear if those resolved cases involve recoveries or deaths, as the health unit is continuing to transition to the province’s new case and contract management system, resulting in limited case details.
The process began Aug. 13 and more information on the region’s caseload is expected once it is complete.
Health officials reported one resolved case on Wednesday, two resolved cases on Tuesday and six new cases on Monday.
The health unit says 38 of the region’s cases have been in Perth County, while 32 have been in Huron County and 29 in Stratford. Six cases have been in St. Marys.
The health unit’s last update on death figures earlier this month reported that five deaths had been reported — four in Stratford and one in St. Marys.
Due to the system transition, testing data is not currently available.
Sarnia and Lambton
No new cases, deaths or recoveries were reported late Wednesday by officials with Lambton Public Health (LPH).
The region’s total case count remains unchanged at 338, of which 309 people have recovered. Twenty-five deaths have been reported during the pandemic, most recently in early June.
It’s the fourth day in a row the region has reported no new cases. Health officials reported no change late Tuesday, four recoveries late Monday and two cases late Sunday. No new cases were reported Saturday or Friday.
There remain at least four known active cases in the region, the locations of which are not known as the health unit has refused to release location data for current or past cases.
There were no changes to the total number of outbreaks (10) or the total number of people hospitalized during the pandemic (58).
At least 109 cases and 16 deaths have been attributed to outbreaks, a vast majority at two seniors’ homes in Sarnia: Landmark Village and Vision Nursing Home.
Bluewater Health discharged its last COVID-19 patient on June 14 and closed its COVID-19 unit soon afterward.
The health unit says at least 22,119 tests have been received as of late Wednesday, and at least 1.5 per cent of tests are coming back positive.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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