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COVID-19: MLHU reports 29 cases, near doubling of test positivity rate

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Jump to: HospitalizationsOutbreaksCamps and ChildcareVaccinations and TestingOntarioElgin and OxfordHuron and PerthSarnia and Lambton


The Middlesex-London Health Unit reported 29 COVID-19 cases Thursday while the number of recoveries climbed by 30.

However the total case count rose by 33 to 13,250 from 13,217.

The health unit says there are currently 235 active cases, 12,782 resolved and 233 total deaths, the most recent reported on Tuesday.

The number of cases involving a variant of concern climbed by 46, all of them Delta, to 3,794.

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The breakdown of known variant cases is as follows:

  • 3,385 cases of the Alpha variant
  • 279 cases of the Delta variant
  • 124 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.

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

The test positivity rate in the region was 3.5 per cent for the week of Aug. 15, up from 1.8 per cent for the week of Aug. 8.

Hospitalizations

Eleven COVID-19 patients are listed as being in the care of London Health Sciences Centre on Thursday, an increase of one from the day before. Of those, five or fewer are in intensive care.

Fewer than five staff are currently positive with COVID-19, the organization reported.

St. Joseph’s Health Care London (SJHCL) is reporting one non-outbreak case involving a resident/patient at Parkwood Institute’s Mental Health Care Building.

Outbreaks

An outbreak tied to Lost Love Social House in downtown London reported Aug. 18 is tied to 16 cases as of Thursday.

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Meanwhile, a separate outbreak tied to Delilah’s, also in the downtown, is linked to at least 27 cases as of Thursday. The outbreak was declared Aug. 15.

Elsewhere, the health unit says one outbreak is active involving Total Package Hockey Day Camp, declared Aug. 20. The outbreak is linked to at least three cases.

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Camps and childcare

The MLHU is reporting one case at St. Theresa YMCA Child Care.

It is also reporting cases at the following camps:

  • Canadian Fade Golf Academy Summer Junior Camp (one case)
  • London Devilettes Girls Hockey Association Junior Summer Camp (two cases)
  • London Minor Football Association Day Camp – Red Storm Atom (one case)
  • YMCA – Fanshawe Conservation Area Summer Day Camp (two cases)

According to the health unit, their figures count London-Middlesex residents only.

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Vaccinations and testing

As of end of day Aug. 21, 74.6 per cent of residents 12 and older are fully vaccinated while 82.5 per cent have had at least one dose.

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According to the health unit, all deaths reported in the last six weeks in the region were among people who were unvaccinated.

Only one hospitalization, or 5.0 per cent of hospitalizations, involved someone who was fully vaccinated.

When looking at all cases, 13.58 per cent (or 74 of 545 cases) involved people who were fully vaccinated.

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.

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Ontario

The province added 678 cases to its tally on Thursday for a total of 561,975.

Of those, 395 involved unvaccinated individuals, 82 were partially vaccinated, 141 were fully vaccinated, and for 60 people the vaccination status was unknown.

According to Thursday’s report, 144 cases were recorded in Toronto, 102 in Peel Region, 97 in York Region, 78 in Windsor-Essex and 51 in Durham Region. All other health units reported fewer than 50 cases.

Among those 12 and older, 75.5 per cent are fully vaccinated.

The province reported 302 people in general hospital wards (an increase of 19 from Wednesday), 165 in ICUs (an increase of four) and 134 patients in ICUs on a ventilator (up by four).

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Elgin and Oxford

Southwestern Public Health reported three cases Thursday for a total of 4,060 with 23 active, 3,953 resolved (an increase of seven) and 84 deaths.

Of the 23 active cases, nine are in St. Thomas, four in Woodstock and three in Ingersoll. Per-municipality case counts for the pandemic can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.

There are currently three individuals hospitalized with COVID-19, including one person in the ICU.

The number of variant cases climbed by one to 973. Of those, 769 involve the Alpha variant, 149 the Delta, and 55 the Beta or Gamma variant.

There are no active institutional outbreaks, the health unit says.

The region’s test positive rate was 1.5 per cent for the week of Aug. 15, down from an updated 1.8 per cent for the week of Aug. 8.

As of Aug. 22, SWPH says 81.1 per cent of its residents aged 12 and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 73.1 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.

Health officials say the mass immunization clinic in St. Thomas will administer its final doses at Memorial Arena on Sept. 10 before reopening on Sept. 13 at a new location at 1230 Talbot St.

People can 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.

Huron and Perth

Huron Perth Public Health reported six cases on Thursday and two recoveries for a total of 2,012 cases with 21 active, 1,934 recovered and 57 deaths.

The number of cases involving a variant of concern has climbed by seven to 391.

Of the 21 active cases, seven are in Perth East, five in North Perth and four in Stratford. Case counts by municipality during the pandemic can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.

No one is currently listed as hospitalized with COVID-19.

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An outbreak declared Aug. 20 remains active involving Knollcrest Lodge in Perth East, a long-term care home. It currently involves four residents and four staff members.

There is one active community outbreak, but HPPH has not provided any details about it.

Three health-care workers currently have COVID-19.

The region’s test positivity rate was 2.0 per cent for the week of Aug. 15, up from an updated 1.9 per cent for the week of Aug. 8.

HPPH’s vaccine dashboard showed that as of Aug. 23, 79.4 per cent of residents age 12 and older have had at least one dose while 72.4 per cent are fully vaccinated.

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.

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Sarnia and Lambton

Lambton Public Health reported four cases Thursday for a total of 3,681 with 20 active, 3,593 recoveries (an increase of two) and 68 total deaths.

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

Data from Lambton Public Health regarding variant cases in the region remains unavailable due to changes to the province’s case and contact management system. The health unit says the tally will be reported “as soon as provincial data remediation is complete.”

As of Aug. 18, the number of cases involving a variant of concern was 690.

Bluewater Health says it currently has zero patients hospitalized with COVID-19, a decrease from one on Wednesday.

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

The region’s test positivity rate was 1.41 for the week of Aug. 15, up from 1.29 per cent for the week of Aug. 8.

LPH says 71.1 per cent of residents 12 and older are fully vaccinated while 77.0 per cent have had at least one dose.

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.

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

— With files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues and Matthew Trevithick.

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