Jump to: Hospitalizations – Outbreaks – Schools – Vaccinations and Testing – Ontario – Elgin and Oxford – Huron and Perth – Sarnia and Lambton
One new death and a record 176 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in London and Middlesex, local health officials reported Wednesday.
The jump surpasses the previous record of 163 set just on Saturday, and brings the region’s pandemic case tally to 8,752, of which 7,376 have resolved, an increase of 128 from the day before.
It’s at least the 10th day this month that London-Middlesex has recorded a triple-digit case increase, the most of any month so far. January recorded eight.
At least 193 deaths have been reported. Wednesday’s reported death involved a man in his 80s who was not associated with a long-term care home, the health unit said. The death is the third reported this week.
The health unit says at least 1,183 cases are currently active in the region.
At least 1,571 cases have been reported since the month began, more than were recorded in February and March combined. April 2021 is now the region’s third-worst month for cases behind December 2020 with 1,735 and January with 2,332.
The local seven-day rolling case average stands at 132 as of Wednesday, up from105 the seven days previous.
- Canadian man dies during Texas Ironman event. His widow wants answers as to why
- ‘Super lice’ are becoming more resistant to chemical shampoos. What to use instead
- Canadians more likely to eat food past best-before date. What are the risks?
- Treatment from female doctors leads to lower death rates, study finds
The local test positivity rate stood at 7.7 per cent as of the week of April 4, up from 5.9 the week prior, according to the most recent figures. The tally is based on 10,328 tests compared to 10,527 a week earlier. The provincial rate for the week of April 4 was 8.3 per cent.
Of the 176 new cases, data was only available for 173 of them.
Of those, 157 were from London, 15 were from Middlesex County, and one has pending location data.
Cases were relatively spread out among multiple age groups, but was still concentrated for the most part in people under 40, making up roughly 62 per cent.
Thirty-eight cases involve people 19 or younger; 39 are in their 20s; 31 are in their 30s; 17 are in their 40s; 28 are in their 50s; 14 are in their 60s; three are in their 70s; and three are 80 or older.
At least 115 cases had pending or undetermined exposure source data, while 28 are said to be linked to outbreaks and 27 to close contact. Three had no known link.
The number of variant cases in London-Middlesex stands at 746 after the health unit updated how it reports variants of concern and the terminology it uses.
The health unit says the change is to bring the way local variant cases are reported in line with how the province reports variants.
The move means that cases presumed to be the B.1.1.7 variant, first detected in the U.K., are now being factored into a single tally along with cases that have undergone genomic analysis and confirmed to involve a variant.
Determining that a case is a variant is a multi-step process. Positive COVID-19 cases undergo initial screening for spike protein mutations common to variants (N501Y, E484K, and K417N), and if found to have one or more, undergo further genomic analysis to determine the specific variant involved, a process that can take up to two weeks.
Since last month, however, the province has stopped conducting genomic analysis on cases which screen positive for just the N501Y mutation. Now, those cases are presumed to involve the B.1.1.7 variant, as that variant has only been associated with the N501Y mutation.
Cases that screen positive for either the E484K or K417N mutations are still being sent for genomic analysis as they have been associated with the B.1.351 and P.1 variants, first detected in South Africa and Brazil, respectively.
So far, the health unit says the region has recorded at least 745 cases involving the B.1.1.7 variant (both confirmed and presumed), and one case of the P.1 variant from Brazil that has been confirmed through genomic analysis, the region’s first.
An additional 47 cases have screened positive for the E484K mutation and are undergoing genomic analysis, including 37 which have been found to also have the N501Y mutation.
The health unit says another 139 have screened positive for the N501Y mutation, but they have not been added to the region’s variant tally as the E484K mutation has not been ruled out for any of them.
According to health unit figures, people under 30 account for nearly 70 per cent of the region’s variant caseload.
Variants have contributed to a large chunk of recent local cases — upwards of 52 per cent of cases seen during the week of March 28 and 35 per cent the week of April 4, health unit data shows.
The London region has been swamped with cases in recent weeks, with test positivity rates increasing in most areas overseen by the Middlesex-London Health Unit, driven predominantly through social clusters and congregate settings, including outbreaks at Western student residences, according to the health unit.
One postal code in particular, N6A, has seen that figure grow exponentially, with nearly 30 per cent of tests coming back positive as of April 3, the most of anywhere in Ontario at the time, according to provincial data made public by the non-profit health research firm ICES.
N6A encompasses part of Western University’s campus, off-campus student neighbourhoods and about half of Old North, as well as much of the downtown core and Richmond Row.
Dr. Alex Summers, the region’s associate medical officer of health, said the data looked at the end of March into the beginning of April, when the health unit started seeing significantly higher case counts among people aged 18 to 22.
“We have had pronounced activity amongst that age bracket as identified as well in those large resident outbreaks associated with the university campus,” Summers said.
“We know that that population has also pursued testing, they are playing their part to the best that they are able. Certainly, to see that postal code with such high per cent positivity is consistent with where we have seen cases, particularly over the last two to three weeks.”
During Monday’s media briefing, London Mayor Ed Holder said he was continuing to push the province to designate London, or at least a specific area of London, as a COVID-19 hot spot, opening it up to more resources and vaccine doses.
Later in the briefing, Summers was asked whether N6A should be designated a hot spot.
“The epidemiologic definition of a ‘hot spot’ is is not a definitively defined thing. Certainly within our region, that N6A postal code has been a hot spot,” he said, referencing the student outbreaks and the surge in cases among younger age groups.
Regardless if the region is designated a hot spot, Holder said “none of this means a damn” if people don’t follow the rules.
“I just want to say to the folks that aren’t following the rules: stop it.”
“The best way to handle this issue is to stop the congregating, is to stop the issues around not wearing a mask, to stop the issues about not doing hygiene. We talk about all of the right things at this level, but sometimes we have to sort out the sinners, and you get to a point where you say ‘enough,” Holder said.
The surge in cases has prompted the health unit to begin asking lower-risk cases to help in local contact tracing efforts which have become overwhelmed.
Lower-risk cases are being asked to assist the health unit in notifying their close contacts of their exposure and providing directions on how to quarantine. Higher-risk cases, such as those in primary care settings and riskier workplaces, are still being fully investigated.
“We’re no longer able to follow up in detail with every case,” Dr. Chris Mackie, the region’s medical officer of health, said Monday.
“We are notifying cases to make sure that they are aware of their diagnosis and know how they should handle themselves, but the next step of contact tracing is something that we can’t do fully at this point.”
At least 7,762 cases have been confirmed in the City of London since the pandemic began, while 304 have been in Middlesex Centre.
Elsewhere, 266 cases have been in Strathroy-Caradoc, 110 in Thames Centre, 60 in Lucan Biddulph, 52 in North Middlesex, 51 in Southwest Middlesex, 14 in Adelaide Metcalfe and two in Newbury.
At least 131 cases have pending location information.
Hospitalizations
At least 52 COVID-19 inpatients are in the care of London Health Sciences Centre as of Wednesday, with 18 of them in critical or intensive care — tallies that are both unchanged from Tuesday.
Dr. Adam Dukelow, LHSC’s chief medical officer, said earlier this week that only seven people in the ICU are from outside of London, and that the average age of patients admitted to hospital recently was 54.
Meanwhile, nine staff cases are active within LHSC, a decline of one from the day before.
St. Joseph’s Health Care London (SJHCL) listed no COVID-19 patients in the care of St. Joseph’s Hospital, however at least 28 cases are active within the organization as a whole.
There are eight patient and 12 staff cases within SJHCL linked to an outbreak at Parkwood Institute’s Mental Health Care Building, and eight staff cases that are not outbreak-related.
Hospitals have been ramping down elective surgeries and non-urgent procedures across Ontario to deal with the influx of COVID-19 patients.
Locally, Dr. Dukelow said LHSC’s surgical activity has been reduced roughly 30 per cent at both University and Victoria hospitals to make more room, and staff have been redeployed within the organization.
LHSC has converted some beds normally used for surgical patients into beds for medical patients, like those with COVID, he said. SJHCL has also opened additional surge space and is allowing LHSC to transfer some less acutely ill patients there.
He said they anticipated rising hospitalizations over the course of the week.
At least 410 people in London-Middlesex have been hospitalized due to COVID-19 during the pandemic, including 71 in intensive care, the health unit says.
Outbreaks
No new institutional outbreaks have been declared or resolved.
Two outbreaks remain active at health-care institutions, both at Parkwood Institute’s Mental Health Care Building (G2, G5, and H2).
Officials with St. Joseph’s Health Care London say the Parkwood outbreaks have been linked to at least 12 cases involving health-care workers and eight involving patients.
Elsewhere, a workplace outbreak remains active at a major London meat processing facility.
The outbreak at Cargill has been linked to at least 82 cases, a company spokesperson confirmed to 980 CFPL on Tuesday. The surge in cases has prompted production there to be temporarily halted.
“We are taking this step out of an abundance of caution as our local workforce deals with the community-wide impacts of COVID-19,” the company said in a statement.
“As we work in partnership with the union, our employees will receive a weekly guarantee of 36 hours of pay.”
It was not stated when exactly officials planned to have the plant back up and running.
An outbreak at Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre also remains ongoing, with at least 13 active cases among the inmate population as of Monday. Six were active at the jail as of April 8.
At least four staff cases are also active at the jail, according to a spokesperson with the Ministry of the Solicitor General.
Declared on Jan. 18, the EMDC outbreak has been linked to at least 49 inmate cases and at least 34 staff cases.
Details on the Western University outbreaks can be found below.
Schools
At least four new school-linked cases have been reported in the London-Middlesex area.
One case each was reported involving H.B. Beal Secondary School and Westmount Public School, according to the Thames Valley District School Board.
Within the London District Catholic School Board, one new case each was reported at St. Mark Catholic School and St. Francis School, both in London.
At least 28 school-linked cases are active in the region. A full list can be found on the MLHU website. Schools are on spring break right now, but will move to online learning for the foreseeable future starting next week.
Outbreaks are also still active involving:
- Providence Reformed Collegiate
- East Carling Public School
- St. Anne’s Catholic School
- Holy Rosary Catholic School
- Northridge Public School
- Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School
- Riverbend Academy
At least 310 cases involving elementary and secondary schools in the region have been reported during the pandemic.
At least 38 cases involving child care/early years settings have been confirmed during the pandemic, an increase of three from the day before. At least nine cases are active, associated with three facilities.
Five cases are associated with Faith Day Nursery in London, which declared an outbreak on Tuesday, the health unit said.
Elsewhere, three cases are associated with Kodorable Child Care Centre in London, which declared an outbreak on April 8, while one case is associated with Stoneybrook Early Childhood Learning Centre – London Bridge.
In post-secondary, outbreaks also remain active in eight student residences involving Western University.
Together, they’re associated with at least 138 cases as of Monday, with 44 alone located at Saugeen-Maitland Hall, Western University’s largest student residence.
In all, seven of Western’s eight first-year student residences have active outbreaks.
Outbreaks are active at:
- King’s Commons – 7 cases
- Essex Hall – 8 cases
- Perth Hall – 9 cases
- Elgin Hall – 10 cases
- Delaware Hall – 16 cases
- Ontario Hall – 17 cases
- Medway-Sydenham Hall – 27 cases
- Saugeen-Maitland Hall – 44 cases
During Monday’s briefing, Dr. Alex Summers noted that many students were now returning home as the semester had formally ended.
“The university moved to remote learning over a week ago and we’re now into exam season and much of that can be done remotely. Many students are returning home (and) that will certainly make a difference with regards to the risk of transmission within residence,” he said.
“We also saw some substantial numbers from social gatherings related both to non-post-secondary students as well as to post-secondary students, and our hope is that the stay-at-home order will play a major role in disrupting further transmission moving forward.
Vaccinations and Testing
The local vaccination campaign continues to roll on, with more than 108,000 doses administered locally. An update is expected on Thursday.
People aged 60 and older became vaccine eligible as of Tuesday, and officials say bookings are being made as far as four weeks out.
Roughly 14,895 doses were administered the week of April 5, the most so far.
More information on eligibility can be found on the MLHU’s website.
Eligible residents are asked to visit the local vaccine booking website or call 226-289-3560 to book an appointment at one of the region’s three mass vaccination clinics. Online appointments are encouraged due to the high call volume.
Doses of the AstraZeneca shot are also being administered at local pharmacies as part of a provincially run pilot. At least 26 were giving the shot just in the city of London as of earlier this week.
A full list of participating pharmacies can be found on the province’s website. Residents are asked to book a spot with the pharmacies themselves.
The region’s two main assessment centres, at Carling Heights and Oakridge Arena, remain open and operating by appointment.
The local test positivity rate stood at 7.7 per cent as of the week of April 4, up from 5.9 the week prior, according to the most recent figures.
Ontario
Ontario is reporting 4,156 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the provincial total to 398,835.
Wednesday’s case count is up from Tuesday’s which saw 3,670 new infections. On Monday, 4,401 new cases were recorded.
According to Wednesday’s report, 1,254 cases were recorded in Toronto, 593 in Peel Region, 476 in York Region, 340 in Ottawa, 248 in Durham Region, 192 in Halton Region and 189 in Hamilton.
The death toll in the province has risen to 7,610 as 28 more deaths were recorded — the largest increase in deaths since mid-February and a third wave high.
Meanwhile, 354,417 Ontario residents were reported to have recovered from COVID-19, which is about 89 per cent of known cases. Resolved cases increased by 3,160 from the previous day.
Ontario reported 1,877 people are hospitalized with COVID-19 (up by 55 from the previous day) with an all-time high of 642 patients in intensive care units (up by 16) and 442 patients in ICUs on a ventilator (up by 20).
Active cases in Ontario now stand at 36,808 — up from the previous day when it was at 35,840, and up from April 7 when it was at 27,359.
The government said 54,211 tests were processed in the last 24 hours. There is currently a backlog of 45,248 tests awaiting results. A total of 13,238,455 tests have been completed since the start of the pandemic.
Elgin and Oxford
Thirty new coronavirus cases have been reported in Elgin-Oxford, officials with Southwestern Public Health said Wednesday.
They bring the region’s pandemic case tally to 3,087, of which 2,834 have resolved, an increase of 25 from the previous day. Seventy-one deaths have been reported, most recently on Tuesday involving a woman in her 60s from Woodstock.
At least 182 cases are currently active in the region, including 65 in St. Thomas, 46 in Woodstock and 12 each in Aylmer and Blandford-Blenheim, the health unit says.
At least seven people are currently in hospital for COVID-19, including one in the ICU, the health unit says.
“Currently, half of our active cases are in people under the age of 40. So please, please do stay at home,” Dr. Joyce Lock, the region’s medical officer of health, said on Wednesday.
“Do respect the stay-at-home order. We can see from our cases and our contact tracing that people are still socializing, often with other families or relatives or people they know. Just because you know them, you still need to stay apart, because this socializing is still spreading the virus in our region.”
The number of cases that have screened positive for a spike protein mutation common to a coronavirus variant has risen by 34 compared to the day before.
Of the 203 cases that have screened positive, eight have been confirmed through further genomic testing to involve the B.1.1.7 variant, first detected in the U.K. — a tally one higher than the day before.
At least 183 have not undergone further genomic testing but are presumed to be the B.1.1.7 variant as they were found to have only one specific spike protein mutation, named N501Y. At least 81 are still active, or roughly half of the region’s current active caseload.
- According to Public Health Ontario, the B.1.1.7 coronavirus variant has been associated with the N501Y spike protein mutation, while variants B.1.351 and P.1, first detected in South Africa and Brazil, respectively, have been associated with mutations N501Y, E484K and K417N.
- As a result, any specimens screening positive for just N501Y are presumed by the province to involve the B.1.1.7 variant and aren’t being sent for further genomic testing.
- Specimens that screen positive for either the E484K or K417N mutations will undergo genomic testing.
The health unit says seven cases, four active and three resolved, have screened positive for the E484K spike gene mutation.
Another five, two active and three resolved, have screened positive for both E484K and N501Y mutations.
Genomic testing is underway to determine the specific variants involved in those 12 cases.
More than 32,000 residents have received at least one shot of COVID-19 vaccine as of April 11, according to the health unit.
Two clinics are currently running, one in St. Thomas and one in Woodstock, with a clinic soon to open in Tillsonburg, according to Lock.
At least 10 pharmacies are also doling out doses of the AstraZeneca shot to people 55 and older as part of a provincially run pilot. Appointments should be made directly with a participating pharmacy.
Lock says the health unit is also working to bring on board some local family physicians to offer the vaccine to their patients. Details are still murky.
“Also, while I don’t have a date, we will be working intensively within the N5H postal code to get vaccine to those who are 50-plus in line with the province’s hot spot strategy. Our approach will be a combination of physicians, pharmacies and mobile clinics,” Lock said.
Last week, the postal code N5H, centred around Aylmer, was named a COVID-19 hot spot by the Ontario government, meaning it will be prioritized for more vaccine doses and will see younger age groups able to be immunized.
Premier Doug Ford also announced that people aged 18 and older in hot spots would be eligible for a shot, but did not say how the process would unfold, leaving many eligible residents frustrated.
The province has said the 18-plus rollout will start with the hardest-hit neighbourhoods in Toronto and Peel, expanding to other regions later based on local numbers.
Mobile sites and pop-up clinics, largely organized by community groups, will target residents aged 18 and older in “high risk” neighbourhoods within certain postal codes.
Last week, Lock said the health unit was still working out details of the 18-plus announcement, including whether to bring the age eligibility as low as 18.
At least two new school-linked cases have been reported in the Elgin-Oxford region.
One was reported at Forest Park Public School in St. Thomas, while one was reported at Harrisfield Public School in Ingersoll, according to the Thames Valley District School Board.
Several cases linked to schools remain active in the region. Full school case lists can be found on the websites of the Thames Valley District School Board and the London District Catholic School Board.
Two outbreaks remain active in the region.
One is located at Metcalfe Gardens in St. Thomas and is linked to two staff cases. The other, at Caressant Care Bonnie Place, also in St. Thomas, is linked to two resident and two staff cases.
The health unit says a total of 660 cases have been reported in Woodstock during the pandemic, while 531 have been in St. Thomas, 484 in Aylmer and 359 in Tillsonburg.
Elsewhere, 211 cases have been in Norwich, 171 in Bayham, 147 in Ingersoll, 122 in East Zorra-Tavistock, 73 in Central Elgin, 71 in Blandford-Blenheim, 65 in Zorra, 61 in South-West Oxford, 33 in Dutton/Dunwich, 27 in Southwold, 24 in West Elgin and seven in Malahide.
The region’s test positivity rate stood at 3.0 per cent as of the week of April 4, up from 2.1 per cent a week earlier. Roughly 4,575 people were tested compared to 4,275 the previous week.
Huron and Perth
Four new coronavirus cases were reported on Wednesday by officials with Huron Perth Public Health.
Two cases were reported in West Perth and one each in Bluewater and Stratford.
They bring the region’s pandemic case tally to 1,485, of which 1,393 have resolved, an increase of eight from the day before. At least 52 deaths have been reported, most recently on Tuesday.
Forty cases are currently listed as active in the Huron-Perth region, with 12 in Stratford, seven in North Perth and six in Morris Turnberry. Seven other municipalities have four or fewer cases.
One person is currently hospitalized, the health unit says.
Meanwhile, the number of cases that have screened positive for a spike protein mutation consistent with a coronavirus variant stands at 42, up from 36 on Tuesday.
At least eight cases have been confirmed through further lab testing to be the B.1.1.7 variant, first detected in the U.K., according to Public Health Ontario.
Roughly 29,581 vaccine doses have been administered in Huron-Perth as of April 12, according to the most recent figures from Huron Perth Public Health. The tally includes first and second doses.
Local health officials announced Tuesday afternoon that no clinics were currently open to book future appointments in the region. The health unit says it had to adjust its vaccine appointment availability “based on the latest information from the province about vaccine supply.”
“Everyone who has booked an appointment in the next few weeks will be vaccinated,” the health unit said in a statement, adding it is “prepared to administer all the vaccine we receive.”
“We have had very good uptake from eligible populations and HPPH clinics have been fully booked. The rate limiting step in Huron Perth (and all across Ontario) has been vaccine supply.
“This is not unexpected, as the projections from the Federal Government and the Provincial Government have always been that it would take many months to reach their total population with a first dose.”
More information on the local vaccine campaign can be found on the health unit’s website. When vaccination slots open up again, those looking to book an appointment are asked to do so via the local booking system or by calling 1-833-753-2098.
People aged 55 and older are also able to receive an Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as part of the province’s ongoing pharmacy immunization program.
Local health units are not directly involved, and residents are asked to contact the pharmacies directly. A list of local participating pharmacies can be found on the province’s website.
No new outbreaks have been declared. One remains active at an unnamed workplace linked to an unspecified number of cases.
No new school cases have been reported. Four schools in the region have active cases, according to local school boards.
One case each is associated with F.E. Madill Secondary School in Wingham, Shakespeare Public School in Stratford, Jeanne Sauvé Catholic Elementary School in Stratford and St. Mary’s Catholic Elementary School in Goderich.
At least 582 cases have been reported in Perth County, with 360 in North Perth and 138 in Perth East, while at least 484 have been reported in Huron County, with 109 in South Huron and 103 in Huron East.
Stratford has reported at least 377 in total, while St. Marys has seen 38.
The region’s test positivity rate stood at 0.9 per cent as of the week of March 28, up from 0.4 the week earlier. Updated numbers are expected this week.
Sarnia and Lambton
Two new deaths and six new coronavirus cases have been reported in Lambton County, local health officials said Wednesday.
The region’s pandemic case tally stands at 3,064, of which 2,906 have resolved, an increase of 17 from the day before.
At least 54 deaths have been reported. Information about the most recent two deaths were not immediately available. It marks the third day in a row Lambton has recorded at least one death, and is the fourth seen just this week.
At least 104 cases are active in the county. Ten people are currently in the care of Bluewater Health for COVID-19, down one from the day before.
At least 248 variant cases have been identified in Lambton. Of those, at least 195 have been either confirmed through genomic analysis, or are presumed to be the B.1.1.7 variant, first detected in the U.K., according to the province.
- According to Public Health Ontario, the B.1.1.7 coronavirus variant has been associated with the N501Y spike protein mutation, while variants B.1.351 and P.1, first detected in South Africa and Brazil, respectively, have been associated with mutations N501Y, E484K and K417N.
- As a result, any specimens screening positive N501Y and negative for E484K are presumed by the province to involve the B.1.1.7 variant and aren’t being sent for further genomic testing.
- Specimens that screen positive for either the E484K or K417N mutations will undergo genomic testing.
The remaining 50 cases have either screened positive for the E484K mutation and are undergoing genomic analysis, or they have screened positive for N501Y but their E484K status is unknown.
The health unit says more than 35,443 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Lambton as of Tuesday, meaning roughly 31 per cent of the eligible population has seen at least one shot.
Officials say lackluster vaccine supply continues to hinder the local immunization campaign. Capacity in Lambton can reach upwards of 15,000 doses per week, but current deliveries only allow for an average of about 5,000.
On Tuesday, officials said that due to a delay of some 4,000 Moderna doses, two immunization clinics, located in Brooke-Alvinston and Forest, have been postponed — to April 16 for the Forest clinic and April 23 in Brooke-Alvinston.
“Individuals who had vaccine bookings scheduled for either clinic are asked to arrive at the same time as their original appointment (on the re-scheduled date),” officials said in an update Wednesday.
Those unable to attend due to the schedule change are being asked to contact the health unit at 519-383-8331, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or by visiting the health unit’s website.
The health unit says a local pilot project through four local primary care practices has seen more than 2,000 doses administered to patients with the highest-risk medical conditions.
Multiple pharmacies in Lambton are also offering the AstraZeneca vaccine to those 55 and older as part of the province-run pilot program. Residents are asked to book appointments with the pharmacies directly.
It’s unclear whether any new school cases have been reported.
Lambton-Kent District School Board has paused public reporting of new cases during the spring break. No new cases were reported by the St. Clair Catholic District School Board.
Several cases remained involving county schools as of the last update, according to figures from the Lambton-Kent District School Board and St. Clair Catholic District School Board.
No new outbreaks have been declared and only one is active, located at an unspecified workplace and linked to eight cases. The outbreak was declared April 7.
The health unit says the county’s test positivity rate was 2.8 per cent the week of April 4, up from 2.4 the previous week, but down from 3.3. the week before that.
At least 140,000 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Lambton.
— With files from Gabby Rodrigues and The Canadian Press
Comments