Jump to: Hospitalizations – Outbreaks – Schools – Vaccinations and testing – Ontario – Elgin and Oxford – Huron and Perth – Sarnia and Lambton
The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) reported 18 new COVID-19 cases on Monday along with 66 recoveries.
This brings the region’s pandemic case tally to 12,231, of which 11,752 have resolved.
A total of 219 deaths have been reported to date. The latest death was reported Saturday and involved a man in his 50s who was not associated with a long-term care or retirement home.
The health unit says at least 260 cases are active in the region.
London-Middlesex has recorded at least 1,743 cases this month along with 19 deaths, three of which have involved people under the age of 50, including an 18-year-old.
Of the 18 new cases reported Monday, all are from London.
In terms of age, five cases are among people who are 19 or younger, four are in their 20s, three are in their 30s, three are in their 40s and three are in their 50s.
The number of variant cases in the region stands at 3,030, an increase of 16 from the day before.
All of the new cases involve the B.1.1.7 variant, first identified in the U.K.
The B.1.1.7 variant accounts for the vast majority of the region’s variant cases — 2,978.
Forty-nine cases have been confirmed to involve the P.1 variant, first identified in Brazil, and two have been confirmed to involve the B.1.617 variant, first identified in India. Of those, one has been identified as being the sub-lineage B.1.617.2.
Meanwhile, one case, reported Thursday, has been confirmed to involve the B.1.351 variant, first identified in South Africa.
Meanwhile, 375 other cases were found to have a spike protein mutation consistent with one or more coronavirus variants. An undetermined number are currently under investigation.
A total of 11,054 cases have been confirmed in London since the pandemic began, while 361 have been in Middlesex Centre.
Elsewhere, 330 cases have been in Strathroy-Caradoc, 154 in Thames Centre, 72 in Lucan Biddulph, 58 in North Middlesex, 54 in Southwest Middlesex, 15 in Adelaide Metcalfe and six in Newbury, while 127 cases have pending location information.
Hospitalizations
Thirty COVID-19 patients were in the care of London Health Sciences Centre on Monday. Of those, 11 were in intensive care.
Fewer than five COVID-19 patients from out of region are receiving acute care, and fewer than five are in ICU.
Though that tally has decreased, LHSC officials say they have begun to accept patients from hard-hit Manitoba.
The organization is currently tending to fewer than five patients from Manitoba, and says a small number of transfers are expected from the province in the coming days and weeks.
At St. Joseph’s Health Care London, meanwhile, no COVID-19 patients were reported in their care at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Three staff cases are active within SJHCL as of Monday.
The health unit says at least 642 people have been hospitalized for COVID-19 during the pandemic, including 110 who have needed intensive care.
Outbreaks
No new outbreaks have been declared.
Two remain active, both involving seniors’ facilities.
Outbreaks are active at Kensington Village (first-floor long-term care) and Kensington Village Retirement (Canterbury).
A total of 851 cases and 109 deaths have been reported during the pandemic at local long-term care and retirement homes.
Meanwhile, a months-long outbreak at the city’s jail remains active, however, no inmate cases are currently listed there.
The outbreak at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre, declared on Jan. 18, has been linked to cases involving 62 inmates and 43 staff.
Schools
No new school cases have been reported and none are currently active.
An outbreak is still declared active at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School.
A total of 354 cases have been reported involving local elementary and secondary schools during the pandemic, according to the health unit.
Meanwhile, at least five cases are active in the region’s child-care sector involving two facilities.
Three are linked to Simply Kids. An active outbreak declaration has been in place since May 12.
Elsewhere, two cases are active involving Kidorable Child Care Centre – Jim Ashton.
A total of 106 cases have been reported during the pandemic involving child-care and early-years settings.
In post-secondary, no outbreaks are currently active.
Western University students will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine in order to live on campus, university officials announced Thursday.
Eight student residence outbreaks on Western’s campus in late March and early April were linked to nearly 200 cases.
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Vaccinations and testing
A majority of Ontarians aged 80 and older will be able to begin booking second dose appointments this week, but those in London and Middlesex will have to wait for another week.
The MLHU says it is still prioritizing first doses for those 12 and older, but it expects to allow those 80 and older “the opportunity to re-book their second dose appointments starting Monday, June 7 or sooner.”
The health unit will provide an update on Thursday on when those 80 and older can re-book.
Anyone aged 12 and older is eligible to get the vaccine, with youth able to get the Pfizer shot.
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 four vaccination clinics. Online appointments are encouraged.
A number of local pharmacies are also offering the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
Four mass vaccination clinics are in operation in the region, vaccinating roughly 3,200 people per day, about half of the maximum potential capacity.
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Those looking for a COVID-19 test can visit the region’s two main assessment centres.
The assessment centres, located at Carling Heights and Oakridge Arena, remain open and operating by appointment.
Small and medium-sized businesses looking to get their hands on free, rapid testing kits can still do so as part of the StaySafe London initiative.
Ontario
Ontario is reporting 916 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, the first time the case count is under 1,000 in almost three months. The provincial total now stands at 531,459.
Monday’s case count is also the lowest daily increase since mid-February (when 847 new cases were logged on Feb. 17). On Sunday, 1,033 new cases were recorded, and 1,057 on Saturday.
The death toll in the province has risen to 8,757 as 13 more deaths were recorded.
Meanwhile, 510,135 Ontario residents were reported to have recovered from COVID-19, which is about 96 per cent of known cases. Resolved cases increased by 1,707 from the previous day.
The seven-day average has now dropped to 1,078. A month ago, the seven-day average was around 3,600.
Officials have listed breakdown data for the new VOCs (variants of concern) detected so far in the province, which consist of the B.1.1.7 (currently the dominating known strain), B.1.351 and P.1 variants.
- B.1.1.7: 125,945 variant cases, up by 910 since the previous day.
- B.1.351: 948 variant cases, up by one since the previous day.
- P.1: 2,822 variant cases, up by eight since the previous day.
Elgin and Oxford
Southwestern Public Health reported 26 new COVID-19 cases and 36 recoveries since its last update on Friday.
As of Monday, the region’s pandemic case total stands at 3,791, of which 3,659 have resolved.
Eighty deaths have been reported, most recently on May 25.
At least 52 cases are active in the region. At least four people are hospitalized, with one in the ICU.
The number of variant cases, and cases that have screened positive for a mutation consistent with a variant, stands at 788.
At least 705 have been the B.1.1.7 variant, and four have involved the P.1 variant. One case has been confirmed to involve the B.1.351 variant.
Seventy-eight other cases screened positive for a variant-consistent spike protein mutation and are being investigated.
People aged 80 and older are not yet eligible to book a second shot, said officials with Southwestern Public Health on Monday.
They say a process is set to be announced by June 7.
People aged 12 and older are eligible to get the vaccine. Youth are only able to get the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, however, meaning they are unable to get vaccinated at the Tillsonburg clinic as it only offers Moderna.
Eligible residents are asked to visit the area’s vaccine booking site and are being encouraged to add their names to a same-day vaccination list.
Several pharmacies in the region are also offering Pfizer and Moderna shots. Bookings must be made directly with the pharmacies.
No new outbreaks have been reported.
An outbreak at Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital remains active. Declared on May 5, it’s been tied to 14 resident cases, five staff cases and three deaths.
Meanwhile, no new school-linked cases have been reported and none are active, according to the local school boards.
Per-municipality case counts can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.
The region’s test positivity rate stood at 2.9 per cent the week of May 16.
Huron and Perth
Huron Perth Public Health reported 27 new COVID-19 cases and 21 recoveries since its last update on Friday.
As of Monday, the region’s pandemic case total stands at 1,816, of which 1,712 have resolved.
Fifty-seven deaths have been reported, most recently on May 20.
According to the health unit, 47 cases are active, including 13 in Huron East and 11 in North Perth. Two people are currently in hospital with COVID-19.
The number of variant cases, and cases that have screened positive for a mutation consistent with a variant, stands at 270 as of Monday.
At least 152 involve the B.1.1.7 variant, according to Public Health Ontario, while two involve the P.1 variant. The remaining cases are likely still under genomic analysis.
People 80 and older will be able to book their second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine starting this week, officials with Huron Perth Public Health say.
It comes after the province announced Friday that it would be shortening the interval between COVID-19 doses, starting with people 80 and older as of May 31.
Reminder emails have been sent out to people due for their second dose, however, people who have not gotten an email are asked to contact 1-833-753-2098.
All people aged 12 and older are eligible to get the vaccine. Youth are currently only able to get the Pfizer-BioNTech shot.
Those looking to book an appointment are asked to do so via the local booking system or by calling 1-833-753-2098.
Several regional pharmacies are also offering the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine as part of a provincial initiative.
More than 72,074 Huron County residents have gotten at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, or roughly 59 per cent of eligible people.
No new school-related cases have been reported. Lists can be found on the websites of the Avon-Maitland District School Board and Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board.
One institutional outbreak remains active, located at Goderich Place. It involves at least one resident and one staff member.
Elsewhere, six outbreaks are active at unnamed workplaces.
Case counts by municipality can be found on the health unit dashboard.
The region’s most recent test positivity rate, from the week of May 16, was 2.2 per cent, down from 3.3 a week earlier.
Sarnia and Lambton
Lambton Public Health reported zero new COVID-19 cases and three recoveries on Monday.
The region’s pandemic case total remains at 3,488, of which 3,395 have resolved. Sixty deaths have been reported, most recently on May 23.
At least 33 cases are active in the region. Bluewater Health reported three COVID-19 patients in its care Monday.
The health unit says it is cancelling and re-scheduling all existing second dose appointments in an effort to re-prioritize and re-book second doses in succession.
Individuals who are 80 years of age and older, or who received their first dose on or before March 16, are now eligible to book their second dose appointment.
LPH says they will be contacted directly via email or phone.
Lambton Public Health has yet to update specific COVID-19 data since last week. The following information was last updated Thursday.
The region’s variant case count stood at 565 as of Thursday. Public Health Ontario data shows 399 cases involved the B.1.1.7 variant, while 13 cases have been confirmed to be the P.1 variant. The remaining cases are under genomic sequencing.
All people aged 12 and older are eligible to get the vaccine. Currently, youth are only able to get the Pfizer-BioNTech shot. In Lambton, they can get the vaccine at the Point Edward Arena clinic.
Eligible residents can book appointments through the health unit’s website. People with questions can contact the health unit’s call centre at 226-254-8222.
Those who got a first shot of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will be offered a second dose after 12 weeks, though it could be a different vaccine depending on awaited federal guidance.
Meanwhile, some pharmacies are currently offering Pfizer or Moderna shots according to the health unit. Residents are asked to book spots with the pharmacies themselves.
The health unit says that more than 68,700 doses have been administered in Lambton.
No new outbreaks have been declared. Two outbreaks remain active.
One is located at Afton Park Place, a long-term care home, linked with at least two resident and 10 staff cases and one death. Elsewhere, a workplace outbreak is active linked with at least seven cases.
The region’s positivity rate was 1.8 per cent the week of May 16, down from 2.2 per cent a week earlier.
— With files from Matthew Trevithick, Sawyer Bogdan, Gabby Rodrigues and The Canadian Press
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