Jump to: Hospitalizations – Outbreaks – Vaccinations and testing – Ontario – Elgin and Oxford – Huron and Perth – Sarnia and Lambton
The Middlesex-London Health Unit reported twelve COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the total case count to 12,713 with 56 active cases, 12,428 recoveries, and 229 deaths.
The most recent death involved a partially vaccinated woman in her 80s reported last Thursday.
The total number of cases involving a variant of concern sits at 3,557, an increase of three from Tuesday.
The breakdown of known variant cases is as follows:
- 3,379 cases of the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7), first identified in the U.K.
- 102 cases of the Gamma (P.1) variant, first identified in Brazil
- 70 cases of the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant, first identified in India
- two cases of the Beta (B.1.351) variant, first identified in South Africa
- one case of the Kappa (B.1.617.1) variant, first identified in India
- one case of the Zeta (P.2) variant, first identified in Brazil
There is also one case listed only as B.1.617 and one case listed as B.1.617.3.
A total of 11,496 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in London since the pandemic began, while 372 have been in Middlesex Centre and 334 in Strathroy-Caradoc.
Further information can be found on the health unit’s Summary of COVID-19 Cases in Middlesex-London page.
Hospitalizations
The London Health Sciences Centre says it is caring for seven inpatients with COVID-19, with five or fewer of those patients in the intensive care unit, as of Wednesday.
In an effort to protect the privacy of patients, LHSC only provides specific numbers when there are more than five.
LHSC is not reporting any patients from outside of the region.
There are currently zero LHSC employees who have tested positive for COVID-19.
At St. Joseph’s Health Care London, the organization is reporting no cases involving patients, residents, or health-care workers — a decrease of one case involving a health-care worker as reported Tuesday.
Institutional outbreaks
The MLHU is not reporting any institutional outbreaks, however, there is an outbreak tied to indoor gatherings at Christ Embassy Church at 1472 Dundas St. in London.
As of last Thursday, six cases have been associated with the outbreak.
Vaccinations and testing
The MLHU provided updated vaccination data on Tuesday, showing that as of end of day July 17, 79.0 per cent of residents 12 and older have had at least one dose while 56.6 per cent are fully vaccinated.
The health unit is also now accepting walk-ins for first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine at its mass vaccination clinics from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Information on how to book and 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.
Several pop-up walk-in clinics are scheduled throughout the region. A full list can be found on the health unit’s website.
Anyone looking to test to see if they have COVID-19 can find information about locations of testing sites on the health unit’s website.
The test positivity rate in the region was 1.0 per cent for the week of July 4, down from 1.3 per cent for the week of June 27.
Ontario
Ontario is reporting 135 new COVID-19 cases and four more deaths, bringing the provincial total to 548,609 cases, including 9,300 deaths.
According to Wednesday’s report, 12 cases were reported in Waterloo Region, 26 in Toronto, 13 in Durham and 16 in Peel Region.
All other local public health units reported 10 or fewer new cases in the provincial report.
Across Ontario, the province says 64 per cent of adults are fully immunized while 80 per cent have at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
Elgin and Oxford
Southwestern Public Health reported three additional COVID-19 cases Wednesday.
The total case count stands at 3,932 with 20 active cases, 3,828 recoveries, and 84 deaths.
Per-municipality case counts can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.
One person is currently hospitalized with COVID-19, according to SWPH, and is not in the ICU.
The number of variant of concern cases increased by to 863, with 762 of those listed as the Alpha variant (a decrease of one), 51 the Beta variant and 50 the Delta variant (an increase of three).
There were no active institutional outbreaks reported in the region.
The region’s test positivity rate was 1.2 per cent for the week of July 4, up from 0.6 per cent for the week of June 27.
As of July 20, SWPH says 77.3 per cent of its residents aged 12 and older have received at least one dose and 55.1 per cent have had two doses.
All individuals aged 12 and up are eligible to 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 COVID-19 vaccine.
Huron and Perth
Huron Perth Public Health reported two additional cases and one new recovery on Wednesday, for a total of 1,931 cases with 13 currently active, 1,861 recoveries and 57 deaths.
Case counts by municipality can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.
The number of confirmed variant of concern cases rose by two to 342.
HPPH reports that one person is hospitalized with COVID-19.
The health unit said in an update on Wednesday that “the common link” among cases is that “they are not vaccinated.” As well, the health unit is urging vigilance due to the high number of Delta variant cases in Grey Bruce, which neighbours Huron Perth.
There are no active institutional outbreaks reported in the region but, in Wednesday’s update, HPPH says “there is one active workplace outbreak.”
The region’s test positivity rate was 0.6 per cent for the week of July 4, down from 0.9 per cent for the week of June 27.
HPPH’s vaccine dashboard reported that 76.5 per cent of those age 12 and older have had at least one dose, while 56.5 per cent are fully vaccinated, as of Wednesday.
Information on vaccine eligibility and booking an appointment can be found on HPPH’s website. Specific information on booking a second dose of vaccine can also be found on the health unit’s website.
Sarnia and Lambton
Lambton Public Health reported no new cases but one additional death and one recovery on Wednesday, bringing the total to 3,632 with three active cases, 3,562 recoveries and 67 total deaths.
Health officials tell Global News the death involved someone in their 80s who died in hospital.
Two more variant of concern cases were confirmed for a total of 675.
According to Bluewater Health, there are currently no patients hospitalized with COVID-19. There are no active institutional outbreaks reported in the region.
The region’s test positivity rate was 0.95 per cent for the week of July 4, up from 0.8 per cent for the week of June 27.
In a news release posted Wednesday, Lambton Public Health said 74.9 per cent of adults have had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine while 60.8 per cent are fully vaccinated.
A walk-in clinic for anyone 12 and older in need of a first dose will be held Saturday, July 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Dow Centre for Youth in Sarnia. More information can be found on the health unit’s website.
LPH is also asking everyone who has already received a first dose to book their second dose appointment as soon as possible.
“We are ahead of our original schedule and mass immunization clinics will begin to wind-down in August,” said medical officer of health Dr. Sudit Ranade.
“While we will continue to hold smaller clinics at some locations, second dose appointments that were originally scheduled after August 10 will be canceled and residents are encouraged to reschedule at their earliest convenience.”
Residents who are able to get vaccinated on short notice are encouraged to sign up for Lambton Public Health’s daily Vaccine Standby List.
Residents can book and re-book COVID-19 vaccine appointments using the health unit’s registration page. People can also call the vaccine call centre at 226-254-8222.
Some pharmacies are also continuing to offer Pfizer or Moderna shots.
—With files from Global News’ Jessica Patton.
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