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One death and 33 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in the London-Middlesex region, health officials said Wednesday.
The update comes as the province’s stay-at-home order lifts, but with most other public health measures, such as gathering limits and restrictions on businesses, remaining in place.
The region’s pandemic case tally stands at 12,280, of which 11,846 have resolved, an increase of 94 from the day before.
At least 220 deaths have been reported. The most recent death involved a man in his 70s who was not associated with a seniors’ facility, the health unit says.
According to the health unit, at least 214 cases are currently active in the region.
At least 1,758 cases were reported during the month of May, 1,549 cases fewer than the month of April, which stands as the region’s worst for cases.
The rolling seven-day case average for London-Middlesex (May 26-June 1) is 29, down from 49 the seven days previous. A month ago (April 25-May 1), the average was 98.
Of the 33 cases Wednesday, all are from London.
Nine involve people aged 19 or younger; six are in their 20s; eight are in their 30s; three are in their 40s; five are in their 50s; and two are in their 60s.
Seventeen cases are listed as having close contact of a confirmed case as their exposure source, while nine are pending information and seven have no known link.
The number of variant cases in the region stands at 3,075. The B.1.1.7 variant, or “Alpha,” first identified in the U.K., accounts for the vast majority of them — 3,021.
At least 50 cases have been confirmed to involve the P.1 variant, or “Gamma,” first identified in Brazil, while three have been confirmed to involve the B.1.617 variant, or “Delta,” first identified in India. (Of those, one has been identified as being the sub-lineage B.1.617.1, and another the sub-lineage B.1.617.2).
Meanwhile, one case has been confirmed to involve the B.1.351 variant, or “Beta,” first identified in South Africa.
At least 376 other cases were found to have a spike protein mutation consistent with one or more coronavirus variants. An undetermined number are currently under investigation.
Variant cases have accounted for at least 80 per cent of cases every week during the month of May. At least half of the cases reported so far this week have involved variants, a tally that is expected to rise as more data comes in.
Local health officials are stressing to residents that while the province’s stay-at-home order has lifted, much remains the same.
“Ontario’s #StayAtHome Order has ended, but limits on gatherings, services and business remain in effect,” the health unit tweeted Wednesday.
“We can’t stress this enough, please avoid indoor gatherings and continue to follow public health guidance.”
A total of 11,104 cases have been confirmed in London since the pandemic began, while 360 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. At least 127 cases have pending location information.
Hospitalizations
At least 31 COVID-19 patients are in the care of London Health Sciences Centre as of Wednesday, the organization reported.
At least 11 of them are in intensive care.
Fewer than five acute care patients and fewer than five ICU patients are from out of region, and fewer than five staff members are currently positive with COVID-19.
LHSC says it is currently caring for patients transferred from hard-hit Manitoba, however, the number is currently fewer than five.
Read more: ‘This has changed us’: Manitoba healthcare workers exhausted as third wave battle continues
During Monday’s briefing, Dr. Adam Dukelow, LHSC’s chief medical officer, noted that the organization was utilizing 10 of 15 operating rooms at University Hospital and 14 of 17 at Victoria Hospital.
Surgery capacity was curbed in late April due to a third wave surge in cases but was allowed to return to normal last month.
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.
At least 641 people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 in London-Middlesex during the pandemic, including 110 who have needed intensive care.
Outbreaks
No new institutional outbreaks have been declared and one has resolved.
The outbreak had been active at Kensington Village on the first floor of its long-term care home since May 3.
It leaves one active institutional outbreak in the region, located at Kensington Village’s retirement facility in its Canterbury area, declared on May 6.
At least 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. One inmate case was reported active there as of Monday.
The outbreak at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre, declared on Jan. 18, has been linked to cases involving at least 62 inmates and 43 staff.
Schools
Ontario schools will not reopen for in-person learning for the rest of the academic year, Premier Doug Ford announced Wednesday.
Schools will keep teaching students online this month as they have since mid-April during an escalating third wave of the virus.
Cases have since declined and the province recently unveiled a reopening plan set to take effect in mid-June, but schools weren’t part of it.
Locally, no new school cases were reported Wednesday and none are currently active, according to the health unit.
An outbreak declaration, made May 21, is still considered active involving Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School.
In the local child-care sector, four cases are active involving two facilities.
Three cases are active that are associated with Simply Kids, which has had an active outbreak declaration since May 12, while one is associated with Kidorable Child Care Centre – Jim Ashton.
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At least 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.
Vaccinations and Testing
While some areas of Ontario have begun booking earlier second doses for people aged 80 and older, local residents will likely have to wait until at least next week to do so as the health unit works to get first doses in the arms of younger residents.
“The reason for the temporary delay is vaccine supply,” said London Mayor Ed Holder on Monday.
“So we’re going to continue to make the case for greater vaccine supply, and I remain hopeful that the deficit will be addressed sooner rather than later. In the meantime, we’re going to continue to encourage people to get their shots.”
Dr. Chris Mackie, the region’s medical officer of health, called it frustrating, noting that while the decision to book second doses for seniors earlier was made by the province, such a move isn’t functionally possible in all places.
“Even those who are using the differential booking system, because those appointments are all booked out for the booking period of the next four weeks,” he said.
“The problem seems to be that there’s more vaccine than needed in the GTA community for first doses, I just don’t know why the solution isn’t redistributing those vaccines to those that need it most.”
Ontario has been administering COVID-19 shots four months apart with some exceptions. (Certain individuals have been able to get theirs earlier than the revised 16-week interval.)
More than 282,178 people have gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 in the London-Middlesex region as of May 29, according to the health unit.
A record 30,868 doses were administered during the week of May 23, according to health unit data.
Locally, roughly 57 per cent of people aged 12 and older have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, while 3.7 per cent have had two doses as of May 29. (When looking at just people 18 and older, the figures are 60 per cent and four per cent, respectively.)
Currently, all people aged 12 and older are able to get the vaccine, with youth eligible to get only the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
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.
On the AstraZeneca front, first doses remain paused in Ontario.
Last week, the province offered second shots of the vaccine to the first batch of recipients to use up doses that were set to expire.
On Friday, the province said the acceleration of second AstraZeneca doses would be provided at a 12-week interval, supply-dependent, with booking eligibility based on the date of the first dose. Residents were encouraged to contact the pharmacy or provider where they got their first shot.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization said Tuesday that Canadians whose first dose of vaccine came from the AstraZeneca shot can safely be offered a second dose of either Pfizer or Moderna.
Ontario has not yet issued advice with respect to mixing and matching vaccines.
All provinces had halted the use of AstraZeneca for first doses over concerns of its potential link to a rare but serious blood clotting syndrome known as Vaccine-Induced Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT). Some weren’t even using it for second doses pending the NACI guidance.
(Since then, hundreds of Ontario pharmacies have begun offering the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine, including in London-Middlesex.)
NACI’s advice was based on interim results from studies in the United Kingdom and Spain showing mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines is safe, and in the Spanish study, effective. Further results from those studies are expected this month.
Canada joins Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Sweden, Norway and Spain among countries mixing and matching vaccines because of the risk of VITT.
Meanwhile, those looking to be tested for COVID-19 can still do so in a variety of ways.
The region’s main assessment centres, located at Carling Heights and Oakridge Arena, remain open and operating by appointment.
People can also be tested at MyHealth Testing Centre, at certain pharmacies, and — if a student or staff member — at Fanshawe College and Western University.
Ontario
Ontario reported 733 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, as well as 25 more deaths linked to the virus.
Health Minister Christine Elliott said there were 173 new cases in Toronto and 134 in Peel Region.
She also said there were 69 new cases in York Region and 66 in Hamilton.
The data is based on nearly 31,800 completed tests.
The Ministry of Health said 708 people are in hospital — 576 in intensive care and 399 on a ventilator.
Ontario noted 139,901 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine had been administered since Tuesday’s report, for a total of more than 9.3 million.
Elgin and Oxford
Two deaths and three new COVID-19 cases have been reported.
It brings the region’s pandemic case total to 3,798, of which 3,668 have resolved, an increase of two from the day before.
At least 82 deaths have been reported locally during the pandemic.
The two deaths reported Wednesday involved two women, both in their 70s and both from Oxford County. Neither death was linked to a seniors’ facility outbreak, the health unit says.
At least 48 cases are active as of Wednesday, including 13 in Tillsonburg, 10 in St. Thomas and nine in Woodstock. At least three people are currently in hospital, none in the ICU.
The number of variant cases, and cases that have screened positive for a mutation consistent with a variant, stands at 797.
At least 713 have been the B.1.1.7, or Alpha variant, four have involved the P.1 or Gamma variant, and one has been confirmed to involve the B.1.351 or Beta variant.
At least 79 other cases screened positive for a variant-consistent spike protein mutation and are being investigated.
The local vaccination campaign continues, with more than 90,000 people having received one dose so far.
People aged 12 and older are eligible to get the shot, with youth able to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
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.
Last week the province announced it would begin to shorten the interval between first and second doses, starting with people aged 80-plus this week.
In SWPH, health officials say for people in that age group, more information will become available later this week detailing how second doses can be booked earlier.
Certain individuals have been able to book earlier second doses ahead of May 31 by phone at 226-289-3560. The health unit says people 80-plus can not currently book second dose appointments through the booking centre or online.
No new school-related cases have been reported and none are active.
No new institutional outbreaks have been declared and none are active.
Per-municipality case counts can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.
The region’s test positivity rate stood at 2.2 per cent the week of May 23, down from 2.8 the week before.
Huron and Perth
Seven new COVID-19 cases have been reported.
It brings the region’s pandemic case total to 1,824, of which 1,723 have resolved, an increase of four from the day before. At least 57 deaths have been reported, most recently on May 20.
At least 44 cases are active in the region, including 12 in Huron East and 10 in North Perth. Two people are currently in hospital.
The number of variant cases, and cases that have screened positive for a mutation consistent with a variant, stood at 276 as of Wednesday. At least 26 are active.
At least 153 cases involve the Alpha variant, according to Public Health Ontario, while two involve the Gamma variant. The remaining cases are likely still under genomic analysis.
As of Monday, people aged 80 and older are now able to book a shortened-interval second dose in Huron-Perth, the health unit says, adding many already qualify and have booked appointments.
Appointments are being booked for mid to late June, the health unit says.
People aged 70 and older will be able to start booking an early interval second dose the week of June 14.
Certain individuals have been able to book earlier second doses already.
Information on how to book first and second doses can be found on the health unit’s website.
Currently, all people aged 12 and older are able to book a first dose of the vaccine, with youth able to get the Pfizer-BioNTech shot.
Meanwhile, several regional pharmacies are offering the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine as part of a provincial initiative. Bookings must be made with the pharmacies.
More than 73,460 Huron-County residents have gotten at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, or roughly 60 per cent of eligible people.
Two new school-related cases have been reported in the region, both involving Central Huron Secondary School.
The cases are among six active in the region, all involving schools under the Avon-Maitland District School Board. None of the cases are due to school exposure.
No institutional outbreaks are currently active. Six outbreaks are active involving unnamed workplaces. No details have been provided.
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 23, was 1.8 per cent, up slightly from 1.7 the week before.
Sarnia and Lambton
One death and six new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Lambton County.
It brings the region’s pandemic case total to 3,499, of which 3,403 have recovered, an increase of three from the day before.
At least 61 local virus-related deaths have been reported. Details on the most recent death were not immediately available.
The health unit says 35 cases are currently active. Bluewater Health reported two COVID-19 patients in their care, the lowest the hospital has seen in weeks.
The region’s variant case count stood at 565 as of Thursday of last week. An updated tally was not immediately available Wednesday due to ongoing network issues at the health unit.
Public Health Ontario data shows 399 cases involve the Alpha variant, while 14 cases have been confirmed to be the Gamma variant. The remaining cases are under genomic sequencing.
The health unit says that more than 77,597 vaccine doses have been administered in Lambton.
The health unit announced Monday that it would be cancelling and rescheduling all previously made second dose appointments to re-prioritize and re-book second doses in succession.
It added that people aged 80-plus who had their first dose on or prior to March 16 are currently able to book a second dose, and will be contacted by email or phone. Those not contacted are asked to contact 226-254-8222.
Based on vaccine supply to the region, LPH will continue to book second dose appointments in increments moving forward, and following the order in which first doses were administered,” the health unit says. “Residents of Lambton County will be notified of their eligibility to book directly (via email/phone).”
Other certain individuals have been able to book earlier second doses and have been contacted by the health unit.
Meanwhile, first doses continue for all people aged 12 and older. 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.
Some pharmacies are continuing to offer the Pfizer or Moderna shots according to the health unit. Residents are asked to book spots with the pharmacies themselves.
The health unit says no outbreaks are currently active in the region.
No information on school-related cases was available. Both of the region’s main school boards have paused public reporting.
The region’s positivity rate was 1.3 per cent the week of May 23, down from 1.8 per cent a week earlier.
–With files from The Canadian Press
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