Jump to: Hospitalizations – Outbreaks – Schools – Vaccinations and Testing – Ontario – Elgin and Oxford – Huron and Perth – Sarnia and Lambton
One death and seven new COVID-19 cases have been reported in London-Middlesex, local health officials said Tuesday.
It brings the region’s pandemic case total to 12,449, of which 12,130 have resolved, an increase of eight from the day before.
At least 223 COVID-19-related deaths have been reported during the pandemic. The most recent fatality involved a woman in her 80s who was associated with a retirement home, officials said.
At least 96 cases are currently active in the region.
Tuesday marks the fifth time this month that the region has recorded fewer than 10 cases. Some 203 cases have been recorded since the start of the month, compared to 1,060 during the same period last month.
The rolling seven-day case average for London-Middlesex (June 8-14) stands at 12.8. The region’s test positivity rate sits at 2.1 per cent as of the week of May 30. Updated numbers are expected this week.
Of the seven new cases reported, six are from London and one is pending location data.
One involves someone aged 19 or younger, four are in their 20s, and one each are in their 30s and 40s. No cases involve people 50 and older.
Close contact with a confirmed case is listed as the exposure source for five cases, while one is due to outbreak and one has no known link.
The number of variant cases in the region stands at 3,315. The Alpha variant (B.1.1.7), first identified in the U.K., has accounted for nearly all of them — 3,225.
Eighty-two cases have been confirmed to involve the Gamma variant (P.1), first identified in Brazil. One case has also been confirmed to involve the Zeta, or P.2 variant — the other lineage identified in Brazil in October 2020.
Four cases have been confirmed to involve the B.1.617 variant, first identified in India. Two are listed as being the Delta sub-lineage (B.1.617.2) and one the Kappa sub-lineage (B.1.617.1).
Meanwhile, two cases have been confirmed to involve the Beta variant (B.1.351), first identified in South Africa.
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Another 260 cases were found to have a spike protein mutation consistent with one or more coronavirus variants. An undetermined number of are currently under investigation.
Through the month of May, variants accounted for upwards of 80 per cent of cases each week. They accounted for at least 76 per cent of cases whose episode date was last week. (That percentage may change as new data comes in.)
A total of 11,244 cases have been confirmed in London since the pandemic began, while 360 have been in Middlesex Centre.
Elsewhere, 334 cases have been in Strathroy-Caradoc, 155 in Thames Centre, 72 in Lucan Biddulph, 58 in Southwest Middlesex, 55 in North Middlesex, 15 in Adelaide Metcalfe and six in Newbury, while 127 cases have pending location information.
Hospitalizations
At least 19 COVID-19 patients were listed as being in the care of London Health Sciences Centre on Tuesday, a decrease of three from the day before.
At least 10 are in the ICU, the same as the day before.
Fewer than five COVID-19 patients in acute care, and fewer than five in the ICU, are from out of region. No staff at LHSC are currently positive for COVID-19.
The organization is currently dealing with an outbreak at University Hospital, declared Sunday, in 8TU – Transplant Unit that has been linked to an undetermined variant.
“It is a stark reminder that, despite the improving situation, safety protocols, vaccines and our amazing staff and teams, COVID-19 is still here,” said Dr. Adam Dukelow, LHSC’s chief medical officer, on Monday.
Dukelow said the organization was working to contain and limit the duration of the outbreak, and as an additional precaution, are limiting visitors to the hospital’s eighth floor.
“We are anticipating the outbreak may impact our recovery efforts and our surgical volumes in the coming days. It may lead to cancellations of some cases, depending on staff testing results and patient testing results that are occurring as we speak.”
LHSC has been working to ramp up its surgical volumes after cutting back in April and May to deal with a surge in cases and hospitalizations during the third wave.
Dukelow said that as of this week, 11 of 15 operating rooms at University Hospital and 14 of 17 at Victoria Hospital are online, and current occupancy is just above 90 per cent.
“We continue to have a goal occupancy of 85 per cent of our beds being occupied, leaving enough room that we can respond quickly to a surge, COVID or not-COVID-related,” he said.
At St. Joseph’s Health Care London, meanwhile, the organization reported no COVID-19 patients in its care at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
However, the organization says there are three non-outbreak cases involving staff, and one outbreak-related case involving a resident at Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care.
Institutional outbreaks
No new outbreaks have been reported, and one remains active at University Hospital.
The outbreak was declared Sunday in the hospital’s 8TU – Transplant Unit. Fewer than five cases are linked to the outbreak.
It’s the first COVID-19 outbreak to be declared at University Hospital, and within London Health Sciences Centre, since March 27 when an outbreak was declared in U4 – Medicine 1, also known as 4IP General Medicine.
LHSC officials say they have limited visitors to the eighth floor of the hospital, and are anticipating that the outbreak may impact surgical volumes.
Preliminary testing indicated the outbreak involved a variant strain, but full sequencing of the specimen had not occurred yet, according to LHSC.
No outbreaks are active at any long-term care or retirement home.
Health unit data shows that 853 cases and 109 virus-related deaths have been reported during the pandemic at local long-term care and retirement homes.
Schools
No new school-related cases have been reported and none are currently active.
No school-related outbreaks are active either, the health unit says.
Students are staying in remote learning until the end of the school year.
The Thames Valley District School Board has said it will hold virtual graduation ceremonies for Grade 9 and 12 students at the end of the month, however, few details have been released.
Vaccinations and Testing
Residents of any age over 12 who received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine on or before May 9 will be eligible to re-book a second dose appointment starting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, health officials said Tuesday.
The expanded eligibility comes as the health unit is anticipating some 17,000 doses of Moderna vaccine to arrive in the region per week over the next two weeks, on top of the normal weekly Pfizer allotment of 25,000 doses.
News of the vaccine influx was announced on Monday, and is the result of a federal procurement of a large shipment of vaccine doses from the Massachusetts-based company, health officials say.
“The additional vaccine that will arrive over the next two weeks will allow the Health Unit to expand and improve the efficiency of its vaccine rollout program, making it possible for people to complete their COVID-19 vaccination series more quickly,” read a release from MLHU.
Certain high-risk health-care workers are also still eligible to re-book a second dose regardless of their first dose date. National health officials have authorized the use of either Pfizer or Moderna vaccines as second doses when either mRNA vaccine, or the AstraZeneca shot, were given as the first, the health unit says.
Details on how to re-book a second dose, and details on how to book a first, can be found on the health unit’s website or by calling 226-289-3560. A number of local pharmacies are also offering doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, but bookings must be made through the pharmacies themselves.
In addition to accelerated second doses, the health unit says the increased vaccine doses will allow the region’s mass vaccination clinics to dole out a combined 6,000 vaccines per day starting Monday. Right now, the region is doling out about 4,000 doses per day, well below the max capacity of roughly 10,000.
So far, the region has administered more than 355,000 vaccine doses. At least 72 per cent of residents aged 18 and older have received at least one dose, with 8.9 per cent fully immunized, according to data from June 12.
Dr Chris Mackie, the region’s medical officer of health, said Monday that the health unit would reorient itself over the next two to three weeks to focus on the vaccine campaign amid the rise in doses, temporarily redeploying staff and winding down most of its services, excluding those absolutely critical.
The vaccine news comes amid ongoing concerns about the more contagious Delta variant, which modelling released last week by Ontario’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table suggested could become the dominant strain in Ontario this summer.
According to a presentation by the advisory body, getting the second vaccine dose is more than twice as effective against the variant. Officials said the Delta variant, the strain first detected in India, is about 50 per cent more transmissible than the Alpha variant, or B.1.1.7, the strain first detected in the United Kingdom.
Those looking to get a COVID-19 test have several options.
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 296 cases of COVID-19 Tuesday as well as 13 deaths associated with the virus.
Health Minister Christine Elliott says there were 62 new cases in Peel Region, 60 in Toronto and 45 in Waterloo Region.
The numbers are based on 17,162 tests.
The province says 433 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Tuesday morning.
That number includes 382 patients in intensive care and 244 on ventilators.
The province says 184,989 COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered yesterday for a total of more than 11.5 million doses.
Elgin and Oxford
Six new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Elgin-Oxford.
It brings the region’s pandemic case total to 3,838, of which 3,732 have resolved, an increase of two from the day before. At least 83 virus-related deaths have been reported, most recently on Tuesday.
At least 23 cases are active in the region, with 14 of them in Woodstock. The health unit says two people from Elgin-Oxford are currently hospitalized with COVID-19.
The number of variant cases in the region stands at 779, according to new data from the health unit. Officials had removed previous variant data over concerns it may be inaccurate.
At least 734 of the region’s variant cases involve the Alpha variant (previously B.1.1.7), while 44 involve either the Beta (B.1.351) or Gamma (P.1) variants, and one the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant.
The health unit says the combined 44 Beta/Gamma tally is because “based on the mutation screening results alone, we cannot differentiate between Beta and Gamma variants, so they have been combined into one category.”
Positive case samples undergo initial screening for spike protein mutations consistent with one or more variants, and then undergo genomic analysis to confirm the exact variant involved.
(Some variants share the same mutations. In the case of Alpha, however, it has only been associated with one specific mutation, N501Y. When a case is found to be positive during initial screening for just N501Y, it is presumed to be Alpha and does not undergo further analysis.)
“There is currently no screening tool available for the Delta variant, so we are only able to report confirmed Delta variant cases,” the health unit says.
No update on the local vaccination rollout was available Tuesday. The health unit will hold a media briefing on Wednesday.
Earlier second dose re-bookings are currently taking place for residents aged 70 and older, and residents of any age whose first dose was on or before April 18.
Those eligible to reschedule their second dose for an earlier appointment can do so via the online booking portal or by phone at 1-800-922-0096 ext. 9.
Other certain individuals under 70 are also able to book earlier second doses. They are asked to call 226-289-3560.
First doses are also continuing for residents aged 12 and older. Youth are eligible only for the Pfizer shot.
Eligible residents are asked to visit the area’s vaccine booking site to make a first dose appointment. The health unit is also still encouraging people to add their names to a same-day vaccination list.
Several pharmacies in the region are also continuing to offer Pfizer and Moderna shots. Bookings must be made directly with the pharmacies.
There have been no changes when it comes to schools and institutional outbreaks. No school-related cases and no such outbreaks are active.
Per-municipality case counts can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.
The region’s test positivity rate stood at 0.8 per cent as of the week of May 30, down from 2.2 per cent the week before. Updated numbers are expected this week.
Huron and Perth
No new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Huron-Perth.
The region’s pandemic case tally remains unchanged at 1,862, of which 1,783 have resolved, one more than the day before. At least 57 virus-related deaths have been reported, most recently on May 20.
At least 22 cases are currently active, the health unit says. At least six are in Huron East and five are in Stratford. One person is currently hospitalized with COVID-19.
The number of variant cases and cases that have screened positive for a mutation consistent with a variant stands at 297. Seven are active.
At least 153 cases involve the Alpha variant, according to Public Health Ontario, while five involve the Gamma variant. The remaining cases are likely still under genomic analysis.
An update is expected Wednesday on the local vaccination campaign.
Earlier second dose bookings continue for people who got the mRNA shot and are age 70 or older, and for people of any age who received their first dose on or before April 18.
Certain people under 70 are also able to rebook an earlier second dose.
Details can be found on the health unit website. Those eligible may also book their appointment through a participating pharmacy.
Those who received a first dose of AstraZeneca can choose Pfizer or Moderna as their second through a local clinic or pharmacy, or AstraZeneca at a pharmacy that offers it. These second doses are being given at an eight-week interval.
For first doses, people aged 12 and older are eligible, with youth able to get the Pfizer shot. More information can be found on the health unit’s website.
More than 87,012 people have gotten at least one dose, or about 71.6 per cent of Huron-Perth residents, as of June 14.
No new school-related cases have been reported. Five are active, none due to school exposure.
Details can be found on the websites of the Avon-Maitland District School Board and Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board.
No new outbreaks have been declared. One remains active at Knollcrest Lodge in Perth East involving three staff members.
Case counts by municipality can be found on the health unit dashboard.
The region’s test positivity rate was 0.9 per cent as of the week of May 30, down from 1.8 per cent the week before. Updated numbers are expected this week.
Sarnia and Lambton
One death and four new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Lambton County.
It brings the region’s pandemic case total to 3,549, of which 3,462 have resolved, an increase of five from the day before.
At least 62 COVID-19-related deaths have been reported during the pandemic. Few details were available about the most recent death.
At least 25 cases are active in Lambton as of Tuesday. Six COVID-19 patients were hospitalized at Bluewater Health, one more than the day before.
The region’s variant case tally stands at 620, the health unit says.
Public Health Ontario reports that 405 cases involve the Alpha variant, while 17 cases have been confirmed to be the Gamma variant. The status of the remaining cases is unclear.
More people are now eligible for earlier second dose re-bookings, the health unit says.
As of Monday, all people aged 65 and older, and people of all ages who received their first dose on or before May 5, can now re-book their second dose for an earlier interval.
The health unit says residents who got the AstraZeneca shot, and who align with the aforementioned criteria, may also book a second dose appointment for an mRNA vaccine.
Those eligible are asked to book their second dose appointments using the health unit’s registration page. If clinics are booked up, check back often, officials say.
People can also call the vaccine call centre at 226-254-8222. Call volumes are very high.
First doses, meanwhile, are ongoing for all residents aged 12 and older, with youth able to get the Pfizer shot. Eligible residents can book appointments through the health unit’s website.
Some pharmacies are also continuing to offer Pfizer or Moderna shots.
The health unit says a total of 93,992 doses of vaccine have been administered to Lambton residents, meaning about 69 per cent of adults and 14 per cent of youth have gotten at least one dose.
No new outbreaks have been declared. One is active, located at Bkejwanong Children’s Centre.
The outbreak, declared Sunday, is linked to at least three cases, the health unit says. It’s the only active outbreak in Lambton.
In school-related cases, the region’s main school boards have paused public reporting during remote learning, so no new data has been available.
The region’s positivity rate was 1.4 per cent the week of May 30, about the same as a week earlier. Updated numbers are expected this week.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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