Jump to: Hospitalizations – Outbreaks – Vaccinations and testing – Ontario– Elgin and Oxford – Huron and Perth – Sarnia and Lambton
The Middlesex-London Health Unit reported two more COVID-19 cases and one death on Saturday.
The death involves a woman in her 80s and is not associated with a long-term care home or a retirement home.
The total case count is 12,526, of which 12,264 have recovered, and the total number of virus-related deaths has climbed to 226.
A total of 3,448 variants of concern have been identified in the region.
The health unit says the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7), which was first identified in the U.K., has accounted for nearly all of them — 3,345 cases.
Eighty-eight cases have been confirmed to involve the Gamma variant (P.1), which was first identified in Brazil. One case has also been confirmed to involve the Zeta, or P.2, variant — another lineage first identified in Brazil in October 2020.
Eleven cases have been confirmed to involve the B.1.617 variant, the one first identified in India. Ten are listed as being the Delta sub-lineage (B.1.617.2) and one the Kappa sub-lineage (B.1.617.1). Health officials believe the Delta variant will be the dominant variant in the region this summer.
Two cases have been confirmed to involve the Beta variant (B.1.351), first identified in South Africa.
A total of 11,339 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in London since the pandemic began, while 360 have been in Middlesex Centre.
Further information can be found on the health unit’s Summary of COVID-19 Cases in Middlesex-London page.
Hospitalizations
At least 10 COVID-19 patients were in the care of London Health Sciences Centre as of Friday with fewer than five people in the intensive care unit.
Fewer than five patients in acute care and fewer than five in the ICU are from outside of the region, the organization says. LHSC only provides specific numbers when there are more than five to protect the privacy of patients.
Six staff at LHSC were positive for COVID-19 as of Friday, unchanged from Thursday.
The organization continues to deal with an outbreak at University Hospital, declared June 13, in 8TU Transplant Unit that has been linked to an unspecified variant.
The outbreak is linked to fewer than five patients and fewer than five staff cases.
At St. Joseph’s Health Care London, the organization reported no COVID-19 cases among its patients or staff as of Thursday, the most recent data that was available at the time of publication.
Institutional outbreaks
No new outbreaks have been reported.
Just one is active in the region — the 8TU Transplant Unit outbreak at University Hospital mentioned above.
Declared June 13, it’s been linked to fewer than five patients and fewer than five staff cases.
Vaccinations and testing
Anyone who received their first shot on or before May 30 is eligible to re-book an earlier second dose appointment as of June 24, providing that at least 28 days have passed between doses.
Medical officer of health Dr. Chris Mackie was asked Thursday if the MLHU expects to align with the province, which will allow all Ontario residents aged 18 and older to book their second shot starting June 28.
In response, he stated that it depends on how many appointments are available.
“If we run out of appointments by Monday … then it will be difficult to open any further. And we could do it on paper, but it wouldn’t be really meaningful because the appointments wouldn’t be there.”
Information on second-dose re-booking eligibility and how to cancel appointments can be found on the health unit’s website.
Information on local pharmacies offering COVID-19 vaccines can be found on the province’s website.
One-day pop-up community clinics are being held at select schools in the city and county starting this week. Locations, dates and times can be found on the Global News website.
As of June 19, the MLHU says 73.1 per cent of residents aged 12 and up have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
Meanwhile, 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.
The test positivity rate in the region stands at 1.2 per cent for the week of June 13, according to the most recent data available.
Ontario
Ontario reported 346 COVID-19 cases on Saturday and set a new record for vaccines administered in a single day.
“Locally, there are 64 new cases in Toronto, 39 in the Region of Waterloo, 34 in Peel Region, 32 in Grey Bruce and 24 in the Porcupine Health Unit region,” Health Minister Christine Elliott said.
For comparison, last Saturday 355 cases were reported. There have now been a total of 543,917 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ontario.
Thirteen new deaths were also announced on June 26, bringing the provincial virus-related death toll to 9,114.
A total of 532,074 coronavirus cases are considered resolved, which is up by 503 and is 97.8 per cent of all confirmed cases.
As of Friday evening, 13,824,469 COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered in Ontario, marking a record increase of 256,260 over 24 hours. Of those, 226,884 were second doses.
So far, 3,988,105 people in the province are fully vaccinated.
Elgin and Oxford
Southwestern Public Health does not update cases on the weekend. The following information was last updated Friday.
Two new COVID-19 cases and six more recoveries were reported by Southwestern Public Health on Friday, bringing the region’s pandemic case total to 3,871 with 3,763 cases resolved.
The total number of deaths is unchanged at 83.
At least 25 cases are active with 16 in Woodstock and seven in St. Thomas. Per-municipality case counts can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.
Two people are hospitalized but not in the ICU.
The number of variant cases in the region now stands at 794, unchanged from Thursday. The vast majority, at least 740, involve the Alpha variant.
There are no active outbreaks reported in the region.
Those eligible can re-book their second appointment through the online booking portal or by phone at 1-800-922-0096 ext. 9. 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.
The region’s test positivity rate increased to 1.5 per cent for the week of June 13, up from 0.9 per cent for the week of June 6.
Huron and Perth
Huron Perth Public Health does not update cases on the weekend. The following information was last updated Friday.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in HPPH are 1,886 as of Friday.
Ten cases are listed as active, including two active variant of concern cases,
Twelve cases were listed as active, including three active variant of concern cases, while 1,819 cases are considered recovered and 57 people have died.
Case counts by municipality can be found on the health unit dashboard.
One person is currently in hospital with COVID-19 as of Friday, according to HPPH.
The total number of variant cases and cases that have screened positive for a mutation consistent with a variant was 306.
Health unit data shows more than 92,448 Huron-Perth residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, or 72.3 per cent. HPPH says 29,968 residents are fully vaccinated, or 23.4 per cent.
Currently, anyone who received a first dose of vaccine on or before May 30 can re-book their second appointment, as can other certain individuals.
There are no active outbreaks reported in the region, as of Friday.
The region’s test positivity rate fell to 1.0 per cent for the week of June 13, down from 1.2 per cent the week of June 6.
Sarnia and Lambton
Seven new COVID-19 cases were reported in Lambton County, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 3,596 on Saturday.
Three recoveries were reported, bringing that total to 3,494. Sixty-two virus-related deaths have been reported, most recently on June 15.
The number of active cases is 40, an increase of four from Friday. According to Bluewater Health, seven patients in their care are confirmed to have COVID-19 as of Friday.
Lambton Public Health does not update detailed information on the weekend. The following details were last updated Friday.
The region’s variant case tally stands at 633, Lambton Public Health reports.
No outbreaks are active.
Second-dose re-bookings continue in the region for all residents aged 60 and older as well as residents whose first dose was on or before May 21.
Residents can re-book using the health unit’s registration page. People can also call the vaccine call centre at 226-254-8222, however, call volume is expected to be very high.
Some pharmacies are also continuing to offer Pfizer or Moderna shots.
The region’s positivity rate was 1.4 per cent the week of May 30, the most recent data available.
— With files from Jacquelyn LeBel, Ryan Rocca, Sawyer Bogdan, Matthew Trevithick and Kelly Wang