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COVID-19: MLHU reports 15 cases, says 72.6% of those 12+ fully vaccinated

BAGHDAD, Nov. 17, 2020 A health worker holds a sample for COVID-19 test at a laboratory in Baghdad, Iraq, on Nov. 17, 2020. (Credit Image: © Khalil/Xinhua via ZUMA Press). Khalil Xinhua / Zuma Press

Jump to: HospitalizationsOutbreaksVaccinations and testingOntarioElgin and OxfordHuron and PerthSarnia and Lambton


The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) added 15 more COVID-19 cases and eight recoveries on Tuesday.

The total case count increased by only 14, however, to 12,988 with 121 active cases, 12,635 recoveries and 232 total deaths.

The most recent death was recorded on Saturday and involved a woman in her 60s who was not associated with a long-term care or retirement home.

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Of all the cases reported since July 6, the health unit says 61.96 per cent involved people who were entirely unvaccinated, while 12.5 per cent involved people who were fully vaccinated.

The number of confirmed variant of concern cases has increased by two to 3,681. One of them involved the Delta variant while the other was the Gamma variant.

The breakdown of known variant cases is as follows:

  • 3,381 cases of the Alpha variant
  • 172 cases of the Delta variant
  • 122 cases of the Gamma variant
  • two cases of the Beta variant
  • one case of the Kappa variant
  • one case of the Zeta variant

There are also two cases listed using the old code numbers, one described as B.1.617 and another listed as B.1.617.3.

A total of 11,742 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in London since the pandemic began, while 382 have been in Middlesex Centre and 336 in Strathroy-Caradoc.

Further information can be found on the health unit’s summary of COVID-19 cases in Middlesex-London.

Hospitalizations

The London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) says it is caring for eight inpatients with COVID-19, with five or fewer of those patients in the intensive care unit.

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In an effort to protect the privacy of patients, LHSC only provides specific numbers when there are more than five.

Fewer than five LHSC employees have tested positive for COVID-19.

At St. Joseph’s Health Care London, the organization is reporting one case involving a patient or resident at Parkwood Institute’s Mental Health Care Building. It is not associated with an outbreak.

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Institutional outbreaks

The MLHU declared an outbreak on the first floor of Grand Wood Park retirement home on Aug. 13.

An outbreak at Pond Mills Children’s Centre declared July 30 is listed as resolved as of Aug. 12.

Meanwhile, an outbreak tied to a downtown London restaurant is ongoing. The health unit says there are a total of 15 cases among patrons of Delilah’s at 209 John Street.

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While there is currently no outbreak associated with Kidzone Day Care Centre, the health unit says there is one confirmed case involving the child care centre.

As well, there is one confirmed case at Kilworth Children’s Centre’s summer camp school age program day camp in Komoka and one case at Simply Kids Childcare summer day camp in London. Neither involve outbreaks.

Vaccinations and testing

Following an announcement from the province, the MLHU says it will resume administering vaccinations for 11-year-olds turning 12 by the end of this year starting Wednesday.

The MLHU updates vaccination data on Tuesdays. The most recent update shows that as of the end of day August 14, a total of 695,285 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the region.

Among residents 12 and older, 82.0 per cent have had at least one dose and 72.6 per cent are fully vaccinated.

When looking specifically at those age 12 to 17, 65.6 per cent are fully vaccinated and 82.4 per cent have had at least one dose.

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The age group with the lowest vaccination uptake is 30 to 34. Among that cohort, 58.5 per cent is fully vaccinated and 70.2 per cent with at least one dose.

According to the MLHU, since July 6, all deaths reported in the region were among people who were entirely unvaccinated.

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Only one fully vaccinated individual has been hospitalized since that time, accounting for 7.14 per cent of all hospitalizations.

Of all cases reported since July 6, only 12.5 per cent (or 46 of 368 cases) involved people who were fully vaccinated.

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On the health unit’s website, residents can find information on pop-up clinics, mass vaccination clinics and pharmacies; guidance for anyone vaccinated outside of the province or country; transportation support for those in need; and more.

Anyone looking to be tested for COVID-19 can find information about locations of testing sites on the health unit’s website.

The test positivity rate in the region was 1.3 per cent for the week of Aug. 1, down from 1.4 per cent for the week of July 25.

Ontario

Ontario reported 348 cases on Tuesday, breaking a five-day trend of daily case counts above 500, as well as 10 deaths (six of which occurred over two months ago and were included due to data cleanup).

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Of the 348 cases reported Turesday, 203 were among unvaccinated individuals, 49 involved the partially vaccinated, 79 cases were fully vaccinated people and 17 were unknown.

According to Tuesday’s report, 85 cases were recorded in Toronto, 45 in Peel Region, 41 in Windsor-Essex, 34 in Hamilton and 32 in York Region. All other health units reported 30 or fewer cases.

Of those 12 and older, 73.7 per cent are fully immunized.

Elgin and Oxford

Three cases and four recoveries were added to Southwestern Public Health’s tally on Tuesday for a total of 4,028 cases with 27 active, 3,917 recoveries and 84 deaths.

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Of the 27 active cases, eight are in St. Thomas, six are in Woodstock, six are in Aylmer. Per-municipality case counts can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.

One person is currently hospitalized with COVID-19, according to SWPH, an increased from zero on Monday.

The number of variant of concern cases is unchanged at 940, with 769 of those listed as the Alpha variant, 118 the Delta and 53 the Beta.

There are no active institutional outbreaks reported in the region.

The region’s test positivity rate was 1.4 per cent for the week of Aug. 1, unchanged from the week of July 25.

SWPH says that, effective immediately, it is expanding access to COVID-19 vaccines to all children who turn 12 in 2021.

“As much as we are enjoying this hot weather and our summer activities, the new school year is just around the corner. Our goal is to have as many youth as possible vaccinated before they return indoors,” said medical officer of health Dr. Joyce Lock.

As of Aug. 15, SWPH says 80.4 per cent of its residents aged 12 and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 70.7 per cent have had two doses.

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Information on where to get vaccinated, vaccine eligibility and booking and cancelling appointments can be found on the health unit’s website.

People can also add their names on a weekly basis to the health unit’s same-day vaccination list, also known as the Cancellation List.

Select pharmacies in the region are also continuing to offer COVID-19 vaccine shots.

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Sarnia and Lambton

Lambton Public Health reported no new cases on Tuesday but added one recovery for a total case count of 3,656 cases with 13 active, 3,575 recoveries and 68 deaths.

The most recent death, involving someone in their 70s, was reported on July 26.

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The number of confirmed variant of concern cases is unchanged at 690.

According to Bluewater Health, there are currently two patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

Lambton Public Health is not reporting any active outbreaks in the region.

The region’s test positivity rate was 0.34 per cent for the week of Aug. 1, down from 0.82 per cent for the week of July 25.

As of Tuesday, 76.3 per cent of residents 12 and older have had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine while 69.6 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Those 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.

Information on pharmacies offering COVID-19 vaccines can be found on the province’s website.

Huron and Perth

Huron Perth Public Health reported two cases and four recoveries on Tuesday for a total of 1,980 cases with 18 active, 1,905 recoveries and 57 deaths.

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The number of cases confirmed to involve a variant of concern was unchanged at 369.

Of the 18 active cases, 13 are in North Perth. Case counts by municipality can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.

No one was listed as hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Tuesday.

There was one active community outbreak, but HPPH has not provided any details about it. The health unit says it only discloses details of non-institutional outbreaks “if contact tracing cannot be completed and we determine there may be a risk to the public.”

There are now two confirmed COVID-19 cases involving a health-care worker, according to HPPH, an increase from one on Monday.

The region’s test positivity rate was 1.1 per cent for the week of Aug. 1, up from 0.3 per cent for the week of July 25.

HPPH’s vaccine dashboard showed that as of Monday, 79.0 per cent of residents age 12 and older have had at least one dose while 71.3 per cent are fully vaccinated.

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HPPH is providing “more options to make it easier for residents to get vaccinated, including walk-ins, evening hours, pop-up locations and a drive-thru clinic.” Further information can be found on the health unit’s website.

Information on pharmacies offering COVID-19 vaccines can be found on the province’s website.

— with files from Global News’ Sawyer Bogdan and Gabby Rodrigues

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