Jump to: Hospitalizations – Outbreaks – Schools – Vaccinations and Testing – Ontario – Elgin and Oxford – Huron and Perth – Sarnia and Lambton
For the first time in more than a week, the London and Middlesex region case numbers have reached 20 new infections of the coronavirus along with no new deaths.
The case numbers for the previous nine days were all under 20. This the highest case count since Feb. 12 when the region saw 31 cases.
The region’s pandemic case tally stands at 6,118, of which 5,830 have resolved and 181 people have died. The most recent death was reported on Feb. 13. At least 107 cases are considered active by the health unit. A total of 411 cases have been reported since Feb. 1 along with six deaths.
The region is currently in the red-control tier of the province’s colour-coded framework. Full details can be found on the province’s website or by viewing the full regulation itself.
It’s expected the region will remain in red for at least another week before any potential change is made.
During the COVID-19 news briefing Monday, Dr. Chris Mackie said the region is on track to move to a lower level of restriction by Monday.
“Whether that’s orange or the yellow level will be a decision of cabinet,” he said.
At least six variant cases have been confirmed in London, with four involving the B.1.1.7 variant, first detected in the U.K. Genome sequencing is underway on the remaining two cases to determine which variant they involve.
At least 5,326 cases have been confirmed in the city of London since the pandemic began, while 248 have been in Middlesex Centre.
Elsewhere, 201 have been in Strathroy-Caradoc, 96 in Thames Centre, 54 in Lucan Biddulph, 37 in Southwest Middlesex, 32 in North Middlesex, 14 in Adelaide Metcalfe and two in Newbury.
At least 108 cases have pending location information.
Hospitalizations
The number of COVID-19 patients in the care of London Health Sciences Centre dropped to 11 as of Tuesday. Five patients were in critical or intensive care. Active LHSC staff cases remained unchanged with fewer than five reported.
No COVID-19 patients were reported to be in the care of St. Joseph’s Hospital as of Friday, the most recent update from St. Joseph’s Health Care London (SJHCL). The organization said it would issue an update if and when those numbers changed.
One active case within SJHCL involves a staff member, and four staff members are linked to the outbreaks at Mount Hope and at Parkwood’s mental health care building. One patient case is linked to Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care.
The health unit says at least 355 people have been hospitalized for COVID-19 during the pandemic, with 66 needing intensive care.
Institutional outbreaks
Seven outbreaks remain active, with five at seniors’ facilities and one at Parkwood Institute’s Mental Health Care Building.
Two outbreaks have been declared over: the facility-wide outbreak at Middlesex Terrace on Dec. 23 and the Westmount Gardens outbreak on Feb. 3.
- Feb. 19 at Peoplecare Oak Crossing (third floor)
- Feb. 13 at Dearness Home (3 East)
- Feb. 12 at Parkwood Institute Mental Health Care Building (G4)
- Feb. 11 at Mount Hope Centre for Long-Term Care (MV2)
- Jan. 2 at Chelsey Park (long-term care – facility-wide)
There have been at least 101 institutional outbreaks since the pandemic began, with at least 74 at local seniors’ facilities.
At Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre, meantime, an outbreak declared a month ago remains relatively steady, with only one active inmate case, down from a peak of 19 three weeks ago. In total, 24 inmate cases have been reported at the jail along with 21 staff cases. It’s unclear how many staff cases remain active.
Schools
At least three school outbreaks remain active in London and Middlesex. A full list can be found on the health unit’s website.
Outbreaks remain active at St. Anne’s Catholic School, Caradoc North Public School and Clara Brenton Public School.
The health unit says at least 208 cases at schools and child-care centres have been reported during the pandemic.
According to the MLHU, there is one active case each at Northbrae Public School (TVDSB) and St. Anne’s Catholic School (LDCSB).
In child-care centres, two outbreaks remain active. Two active cases are linked to Pinetree Montessori school, and the second outbreak involves one case at Mrs. B’s All My Little People.
Vaccinations and testing
The region’s second vaccination clinic opened its doors last week at the Caradoc Community Centre in Mount Brydges.
A day earlier, health officials announced that the region’s third and fourth vaccination clinics will be located at North London Optimist Community Centre at 1345 Cheapside St., and at ice pad A of the Earl Nichols Recreation Centre at 799 Homeview Rd.
Work is underway to convert the two facilities into vaccination clinics. The two clinics aren’t expected to officially open to the public for several weeks.
So far, more than 29,000 doses have been administered in London and Middlesex since vaccinations began in late December.
Earlier this week, the health unit announced that the local vaccination campaign was being expanded to include more Phase 1 priority groups.
As a result of more shipments of vaccine and revised provincial guidelines, those eligible now include some 15,000 local “highest priority” and “very high priority” health-care workers as defined in the province’s vaccine prioritization guidelines.
Second doses for long-term care and high-risk retirement home residents were slated to wrap up last week. Initial doses at low-risk retirement homes are expected this week.
Further details are also expected about when vaccinations may be opened up to members of the general public over the age of 80 after the province moved the group from Phase 2 to Phase 1.
The city’s two main COVID-19 assessment centres remain open and operating by appointment.
The region’s test positivity rate stood at 1.2 per cent as of the week of Feb. 7, down from 1.7 the week before, figures released Thursday show.
At least 10,191 people were tested during the week of Feb. 7, nearly unchanged from a week earlier.
Ontario
Ontario is reporting 975 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, bringing the provincial total to 295,119.
Tuesday’s case count is lower than Monday’s which saw 1,058 new infections. On Sunday, 1,087 new cases were recorded and there were 1,228 on Saturday.
It is also the first time in the last six days that the daily case count dipped below 1,000. However, tests completed were the lowest they’ve been in a couple of months.
According to Tuesday’s provincial report, 343 cases were recorded in Toronto, 186 in Peel Region and 89 in York Region.
All other local public health units reported fewer than 50 new cases in the provincial report.
Elgin and Oxford
Southwestern Public Health reported 14 new COVID-19 cases, along with 11 recoveries on Tuesday.
This comes a day after the region reported zero cases on Monday.
The region’s pandemic case tally stands at 2,463, of which 2,361 have resolved.
At least 67 people have died during the pandemic. According to SWPH data, one death is related to the Aylmer Retirement Residence and the second was at Caressant Care Retirement Home in Woodstock. Both deaths were reported Saturday.
The health unit says 35 cases remain active in the region. At least 17 cases are active in Woodstock, while eight are active in St. Thomas. Nine other municipalities have three or fewer active cases.
Three outbreaks are active at local long-term care and retirement homes, declared on:
- Feb. 17 at Aylmer Retirement Residence (one resident case, one death)
- Feb. 11 at Valleyview Nursing Home in St. Thomas (one staff case)
- Jan. 21 at Caressant Care Retirement Home in Woodstock (54 resident, 23 staff cases, three deaths)
As of Monday, Elgin Court Public School has one case involving a student, at least four cases remain active at Annandale Public School, and one case each is active at Elgin Court Public School in St. Thomas and Royal Roads Public School in Ingersoll.
One student case also remains active at Huron Park Secondary School.
The health unit says a total of 488 cases have been reported in Woodstock during the pandemic, while 426 have been in St. Thomas, 361 in Aylmer and 335 in Tillsonburg.
Elsewhere, 201 cases have been in Norwich, 161 in Bayham, 115 in Ingersoll, 104 in East Zorra-Tavistock, 54 in Zorra, 50 in Blandford-Blenheim, 46 in South-West Oxford, 44 in Central Elgin, 25 in Southwold, 23 in Dutton/Dunwich, 21 in West Elgin and eight in Malahide.
The region’s test positivity rate stood at 0.8 per cent the week of Feb. 7, down from 1.6 the week before, figures released Thursday show.
At least 4,513 people were tested the week of Feb. 7, down slightly from 4,857 a week earlier.
Huron and Perth
Huron Perth Public Health reported no new cases on COVID-19 and reassigned nine to another health unit Tuesday.
As of Tuesday, the region’s pandemic case tally stood at 1,312, a decrease of nine from the day before, of which 1,244 people have recovered, and 49 have died.
At least 19 cases were listed as active in the region, with five in Stratford and four in North Perth. Six municipalities have between one and three active cases.
Three people were listed as being in hospital Tuesday.
Two outbreaks remain active at local seniors’ facilities, while one outbreak remains active at St. Marys Hospital.
The region’s active seniors’ facility outbreaks were declared on:
- Jan. 31 at Seaforth Manor Retirement Home in Huron East (12 resident cases, 1 staff case)
- Jan. 17 at Seaforth Manor Nursing Home in Huron East (44 resident, 25 staff cases, five deaths)
The outbreak at St. Marys Memorial Hospital is tied to three patient and five staff cases.
One school case remains active in Huron-Perth, located at Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary School in Wingham, according to the Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board.
According to the health unit, at least 538 cases have been reported in Perth County during the pandemic, including 344 in North Perth 134 in Perth East, 32 in Perth South and 28 in West Perth.
Elsewhere, 438 cases have been reported in Huron County, including 97 in Huron East and South Huron, 50 in Central Huron, 45 in Morris Turnberry, 42 in North Huron, 34 in Howick, 33 in Bluewater, 21 in ACW and 19 in Goderich.
At least 305 cases have been reported in Stratford and 31 in St. Marys.
Officials reported Thursday that the local test positivity rate stood at 0.9 per cent as of the week of Feb. 7, down from 1.6 the week before.
Sarnia and Lambton
Lambton Public Health reported nine new COVID-19 cases along with 13 recoveries on Tuesday.
The county’s pandemic case total stands at 2,035, of which 1,8895 people have recovered and 46 have died. The most recent death was reported Wednesday.
At least 94 cases remain active. At least two people are in hospital at Bluewater Health, the organization reported.
Health officials reported Thursday that the region’s test positivity rate rose to 2.3 per cent as of the week of Feb. 7, up from 1.0 per cent the week before.
The increase came as testing rates fell in the county. At least 3,464 tests were recorded the week of Feb. 7 compared to 3,662 the week before.
The outbreak declared on Jan. 8 at Twin Lakes Terrace (LTC) in Sarnia, linked to 18 residents, six staff cases, and one death has since been resolved.
An outbreak declared at Bluewater Health in Sarnia on Feb. 18 is linked to one patient case and six staff cases.
As of Monday, six outbreaks remained active, including four at seniors’ facilities, one at Sarnia’s jail, and one at Bluewater Health.
The seniors’ facility outbreaks that remain active were declared on:
- Feb. 19 at Twin Lakes Village Retirement Home in Sarnia (one staff case)
- Feb. 12 at Landmark Village in Sarnia (one staff case)
- Feb. 12 at Trillium Villa in Sarnia (one staff case)
- Feb. 10 at Country Manor Estates in Lambton Shores (two resident, one staff case)
At Sarnia’s jail, at least 46 cases involving inmates and five involving staff have been reported since Feb. 7.
Active Scool cases in the Lambton Kent District School Board include one student case at Northern Collegiate Institute & Vocational School in Sarnia, one staff and one student case at Lansdowne Public School in Sarnia.
— With files from 980 CFPL’s, Gabby Rodrigues, Matthew Trevithick and Kelly Wong, and The Canadian Press
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