Jump to: Hospitalizations – Outbreaks – Schools – Testing – Ontario – Elgin and Oxford – Huron and Perth – Sarnia and Lambton

The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) reported 53 new coronavirus cases along with 42 new recoveries on Monday as the region enters the red tier.

The region’s total COVID-19 case count has increased to 2,121, of which 1,743 cases have recovered and 80 have died.

There are at least 298 active cases in the region.

The region has reported at least 472 cases since Dec. 1, more than were reported in every month during the pandemic except for November. It’s also more than what was reported in May, June, July and August combined.

The steady influx of new cases, coupled with numerous outbreak declarations, including at University Hospital and several area schools, has prompted the province to shift the London-Middlesex region into the more restrictive red-control tier of its COVID-19 response framework.

The change came into effect at 12:01 a.m. Monday.

With the move comes stricter limits on social gatherings and increased restrictions on businesses.

Social gatherings and organized public events where physical distancing can be maintained are now limited to five people indoors — unless everyone is from the same household — and 25 outdoors.

Gathering limits for religious services, weddings, and funerals are capped at 30 per cent capacity indoors and 100 people outdoors.

Bars and restaurants will now only be able to seat a maximum of 10 patrons indoors, and dancing, singing and live music will be prohibited. The province says outdoor dining, takeout, drive-thru and delivery is permitted, including alcohol.

Gyms and fitness studios will only be allowed to have a maximum of 10 people indoors or 25 outdoors in classes, and 10 people indoors in areas with weights or exercise equipment.

In addition, team sports must not practise or play (except for training), and activities that may result in people coming within two metres of each other are prohibited.

The province says movie theatres must be closed, except drive-ins, and performing arts facilities must be closed to spectators. Rehearsal or performing a recorded or broadcast event, however, is still permitted, it says.

Full details on what comes with a move to red-control can be found in the framework document itself.

Hospitalizations

The number of active COVID-19 inpatients in the care of the London Health Sciences Centre was 39 on Friday.

Fewer than five people are in critical or intensive care, according to LHSC.

Current staff infections sit at 51. Most of those are linked to outbreaks at University Hospital.

No COVID-19 inpatients were in the care of St. Joseph’s Health Care London as of last Sunday, its most recent update. The organization says it will post an update when and if numbers change. Only one active COVID-19 case is counted among its workforce as of that last update.

According to the MLHU, at least 228 people have been admitted to the hospital due to the coronavirus during the pandemic, and at least 43 people have been admitted to intensive care.

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Institutional outbreaks

No new outbreaks were reported Monday.

Nine outbreaks at University Hospital remain active; 10IP Palliative Care/Sub-Acute Medicine, 10th Floor Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, 6IP Acute/Decant Medicine, 6th Floor Cardiac Offices, 8IP General Surgery, 9IP Sub-Acute Medicine, C4-200 – Multi-Organ, U4 Medicine and U-5 Cardiology.

Outbreaks also remain active at Chelsey Park on the second floor of its long-term care facility, Country Terrace’s Woodcrest area and McCormick Home’s Evergreen Walk area.

As of Monday, the LHSC says at least 77 LHSC patient cases and 79 staff cases have been reported as a result of the aforementioned outbreaks. The outbreak has also been linked to 15 deaths.

Since March, the region has seen at least 61 institutional outbreaks in London and Middlesex, including at least 43 at local seniors’ facilities.

Schools

A few new COVID-19 cases were reported.

The MLHU reported two cases at Catholic Central High School, another case at CC Carrothers Public School, one case at Stoney Creek Public School, one case at Kensal Park French Immersion Public School and another case at Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School.

The school board says the school will remain open.

Elsewhere, outbreaks remain active at several schools, including at Ashley Oaks Public School, Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School, Sir Arthur Currie Public School, St. Thomas Aquinas and Westminster secondary schools. Those schools remain open.

As of Monday, at least 35 cases are active involving schools in the region:

• Four cases are active at Westminster Secondary School. An outbreak declaration is active.
• Four cases are active at Ashley Oaks Public School. An outbreak declaration is active.
• Four cases are active at Sir Arthur Public School. An outbreak declaration is active.
• Two cases are active at London Christian High, a private religious school.
• Two cases are active at Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School. An outbreak declaration is active.
• Three cases are active at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School. An outbreak declaration is active.
• Two case are active at C.C. Carrothers Public School.
• One case is active at London Central Secondary School.
• One case is active at Rick Hansen Public School.
• One case is active at Ryerson Public School.
• Two cases are active at Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School.
• One case is active at Sir George Etienne Cartier Public School.
• One case is active at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Elementary School.
• One case is active at St. John French Immersion Catholic Elementary School.
• One case is active at Westmount Public School.
• One case is active at Princess Anne French Immersion Public School.

The region has seen at least 83 school cases reported since the beginning of September. Thirty-seven of them have been reported just this month.

Meantime, in the post-secondary setting, two student residence outbreaks declared three weeks ago at Western University remain active, according to the health unit.

The outbreaks are located at Perth Hall and Saugeen-Maitland Hall and were declared active on Nov. 21 and Nov. 19, respectively.

Testing

At least 10,010 people were tested for the coronavirus during the week of Nov. 29, according to the most recent testing figures issued by the health unit.

The tally was a notable increase from the 8,408 reported the week prior.

The region’s test per cent positivity rate stood at 2.1 per cent as of the week of Nov. 28, up from 1.7 per cent the week before.

The city’s two dedicated assessment centres, Carling Heights and Oakridge Arena continue to operate normally, both by appointment only.

Carling Heights has seen a recent uptick in visits, recording an average of 428 visits over five days from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4, up from 381 between Nov. 23 and Nov. 27.

At Oakridge Arena, numbers have been largely stable. The centre recorded a five-day average of 319 visits from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4 compared to 318 between Nov. 23 and Nov. 27.

Appointment testing for certain asymptomatic people is also continuing at eight local pharmacies.

Ontario

Ontario reported 1,940 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, marking the second highest single-day increase, to bring the provincial total to 142,121.

The death toll in the province has risen to 3,972 as 23 more deaths were reported.

Meanwhile, 121,563 Ontarians have recovered from COVID-19, which is 85 per cent of known cases. Resolved cases increased by 1,535 from the previous day.

The government said 57,091 tests were processed in the last 24 hours. There is currently a backlog of 32,045 tests that need results.

A total of 7,019,734 tests have been completed since the pandemic began.

Elgin and Oxford

Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) reported 31 new cases and five new recoveries on Monday.

This is the largest single-day case jump seen in the region during the pandemic. The previous record was 30 cases on Dec. 11.

It brings the region’s total case count to 766, of which 615 have recovered. Nine deaths have been reported, most recently on Saturday. SWPH says the deceased was a man in his 80s from St. Thomas, and his death was not associated with any long-term or retirement homes.

At least 142 cases are currently active in the region, with at least 32 in St. Thomas, 26 in Aylmer, 21 in Norwich Township and 17 in Woodstock.

Since Dec. 1, the Elgin-Oxford region has posted 203 new cases.

Despite the high number of new cases, the region will remain in the orange-restrict tier of the province’s COVID-19 response framework this week.

The total number of school cases in the region has risen after the Thames Valley District School Board reported a new case at South Ridge Public School in Tillsonburg.

The following school cases are active as of Monday:

• Five cases at East Elgin Secondary School in Aylmer.
• Two cases at Elgin Court Public School in St. Thomas.
• Two cases at Parkside Collegiate Institute in St. Thomas.
• One student case at Glendale High School in Tillsonburg.
• One case at New Sarum Public School in St. Thomas.
• One case at St. Joseph’s Catholic High School in St. Thomas.
• One case at St. Mary’s Catholic High School in Woodstock.
• One case at Summers’ Corners Public School in Aylmer.
• One case at Huron Park Secondary Schoolin Woodstock.

The region has seen at least 31 school cases reported since the start of September.

The most recent outbreak was declared on Sunday at Woodingford Lodge in Tillsonburg. It involves one staff member.

Elsewhere, an outbreak remains active at Maple Manor Nursing Home in Tillsonburg involving one staff member, at Terrace Lodge involving one staff member and at Bethany Care Home involving two staff members.

By location, Aylmer has seen the largest number of cases during the pandemic at 156. Given its small population, the town has an incidence rate equivalent to 2,082 cases per 100,000 people.

Woodstock, which has seen the second-largest number of cases overall, 151, has an incidence rate of 369 per 100,000.

Elsewhere, St. Thomas has seen 106 cases, Bayham has seen 96, Norwich Township 67, Tillsonburg 56, Ingersoll 36, Blandford-Blenheim 22, East Zorra-Tavistock 18, Zorra 14, Dutton/Dunwich and South-West Oxford 11 apiece, and Central Elgin 10.

Three other municipalities have recorded case totals under 10.

The region had a test per cent positivity rate of 1.8 per cent as of the week of Nov. 29, up from 1.3 the week before.

Huron and Perth

Huron Perth Public Health reported 27 new COVID-19 cases since its last update on Saturday.

The region’s total case tally stands at 459. At least 385 patients have recovered while 20 deaths have been reported, most recently on Thursday involving a resident of Cedarcroft Place, a retirement home in Stratford.

At least 54 cases are active in the region, the health unit says.

At least three people are currently in hospital. At least 22 have been hospitalized for COVID-19 during the pandemic.

Huron and Perth will remain in the orange-restrict tier of the province’s restrictions framework next week.

At least 13 school cases remain active in the region, two with outbreak declarations:

• Six cases at St. Mary’s Catholic Elementary School involving five students and one staff member. An outbreak declaration remains active at the school as of Friday.
• Two cases at Listowel District Secondary School.
• One case at Central Huron Secondary School in Clinton.
• One case at F. E. Madill Secondary School in Wingham.
• One case at Listowel District Secondary School.
• One case at North Perth Westfield Elementary School.
• One case at Northside Christian School involving a staff member. An outbreak declaration remained active as of Friday and the school remains closed as a result.

One case also remains active involving a staff member of the Avon-Maitland District School Board, according to the province.

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Including that case, at least 25 school cases have been reported since Sept. 1.

No new institutional outbreaks have been declared.

Two still remain active, including at Cedarcroft Place in Stratford, linked to 50 resident cases, 24 staff cases, and 12 deaths.

The outbreak was first declared on Oct. 27. One resident case remained active and was in hospital as of Thursday, while one staff member case was active.

Elsewhere, an outbreak is also active at Stratford General Hospital in its medicine unit.

At least seven staff members have tested positive in relation to the outbreak since Dec. 9. The outbreak itself was declared on Dec. 3.

As of the week of Nov. 29, the region’s test per cent positivity rate was 1.6 per cent.

Sarnia and Lambton

Five new cases along with five more recoveries were reported by Lambton Public Health on Monday.

The region’s total case tally now stands at 452, of which 402 have recovered. Twenty-six deaths have been reported, with the latest announced on Thursday — the first the region had seen since early June.

At least 24 cases remained active as of Monday.

Three people are in hospital at Bluewater Health, according to the organization. A total of at least 64 people have been hospitalized during the pandemic.

The region remains in the yellow-protect tier of the province’s restrictions framework this week, according to the province.

Two outbreaks remain active in the region, located at two unnamed workplaces in an unspecified location. One is linked to at least two cases and was declared Dec. 3. The other is linked to at least three cases and was declared Dec. 11.

A total of 15 outbreaks have been declared since March — 10 at seniors’ facilities, four at workplaces and one at Bluewater Health — linked to 120 cases and 16 deaths.

Nearly all of the cases, and all 16 deaths, are linked to outbreaks earlier in the pandemic at Landmark Village and Vision Nursing Home.

As of the week of Nov. 29 the region had a weekly test per cent positivity rate of 0.64 per cent. About 2,624 people were tested that week.

–With files from Matthew Trevithick and Gabby Rodrigues