Jump to: Hospitalizations – Outbreaks – Schools – Vaccinations and testing – Ontario – Elgin and Oxford – Huron and Perth – Sarnia and Lambton
The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) reported 20 COVID-19 cases and another death on Thursday.
The death involved a man in his 70s who was not associated with a long-term care or retirement home. Medical officer of health Dr. Chris Mackie said Thursday that while the man was fully vaccinated, he was eligible for a third dose.
“The issue here was that this is someone who’s eligible for a third dose because of a suppressed immune system, but had not yet had that third dose,” said Mackie.
“It’s a really important reminder that for those in those high-risk groups that we know, based on research, have a lower immune response to the vaccines: a third dose is very important.”
A list of who is currently eligible for a third dose is available on the health unit’s website. Mackie noted that the list is expected to expand “soon.”
The death comes a day after another death involving a man in his 70s, though it is believed the man, in that case, was unvaccinated.
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The region’s total case count has risen to 14,344, with 13,998 recoveries (an increase of 13), 101 active cases (an increase of six) and 245 deaths.
The MLHU dashboard is no longer including the total number of confirmed variant of concern cases at the top of its dashboard, however, it is still listing the breakdown of confirmed variant of concern cases:
- 3,384 cases of the Alpha variant
- 767 cases of the Delta variant (an increase of one)
- 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.
Hospitalizations
London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is caring for six inpatients with COVID-19 as of Thursday, a decrease of three from Wednesday.
There are five or fewer inpatients in adult critical care or the intensive care unit.
There are five or fewer inpatients with COVID-19 in Children’s Hospital with five or fewer in pediatric critical care.
Five or fewer staff have currently tested positive for COVID-19.
St. Joseph’s Health Care London (SJHCL) reported one non-outbreak case involving a health-care worker.
Outbreaks
As of Thursday, there were no active outbreaks in the region involving long-term care homes, retirement homes or hospitals.
There is one active school outbreak at Our Lady of the Pillar Academy, declared Oct. 18.
Schools
The following schools have cases associated with them, according to the MLHU:
- Caradoc Public School (one case)
- Clarke Road Secondary School (two cases)
- Covenant Christian School (two cases)
- Mary Wright Public School (one case)
- Masonville Public School (one case)
- Our Lady of the Pillar Academy (five cases)
- Providence Reformed Collegiate (two cases)
- St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School (one case)
- Wilfrid Jury Public School (one case)
There are two active COVID-19 cases associated with child-care or early years centres, with one case at London Children’s Connection: Caradoc – Before and After School and two cases at Noshin’s Kids Care.
The health unit said at least 141 cases have been reported since the start of the school year involving elementary and secondary schools, as well as child-care and early years centres.
Vaccinations and testing
The latest vaccination update says as of Oct. 16, 84.1 per cent of residents aged 12 and older are fully vaccinated and 88.3 per cent have had at least one dose.
Since Sept. 9, unvaccinated individuals have accounted for 64.33 per cent of all cases (or 431 of 670 cases) and 65.52 per cent of all hospitalizations (19 of 29).
Meanwhile, 27.16 per cent of all cases (or 182 of 670 cases) involved those who were fully vaccinated while 27.59 per cent of all hospitalizations (eight of 29) involved individuals who were fully vaccinated.
Medical officer of health Dr. Chris Mackie has noted that the vast majority of the population is vaccinated. While unvaccinated individuals account for nearly two-thirds of all cases, they make up less than 16 per cent of the population aged 12 and older.
The rest of the cases involved individuals who were partially vaccinated or not yet protected by vaccination.
Of the 10 COVID-19-related deaths reported in the last six weeks, four involved people who were unvaccinated, three involved individuals who were fully vaccinated, two involved people who were partially vaccinated, and one involved someone who was not yet protected by vaccination.
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 the locations of testing sites on the health unit’s website.
The latest COVID-19 test positivity rate in the region was 1.1 per cent for the week of Oct. 10, down from 1.7 per cent for the week of Oct. 3.
Ontario
The province reported 413 cases Thursday, the 11th consecutive day with a case count under 500.
Of those, 226 were among unvaccinated individuals, 15 were partially vaccinated, 140 were fully vaccinated and 32 people had an unknown status.
According to Thursday’s report, 66 cases were recorded in Toronto, 54 in Peel Region, 36 in Ottawa, 29 in York Region, 21 in Windsor-Essex and 20 in Simcoe Muskoka. All other health units had fewer than 20.
The breakdown provided by the province does not always align with the daily updates from local health units.
Four deaths were also reported across Ontario on Thursday.
Of those aged 12 and older, 83.5 per cent are fully immunized.
Elgin and Oxford
On Thursday, Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) reported:
- 4,551 total cases (an increase of 17)
- 79 active cases (a decrease of one)
- 4,382 resolved cases (an increase of 18)
- 90 deaths to date
- 1,400 variant of concern cases (an increase of 14, all Delta), with 774 Alpha, 572 Delta and 54 Beta or Gamma
Of the 79 active cases in the region, 32 were in Elgin County (including 10 in Aylmer and nine in West Elgin) and 47 were in Oxford County (including 15 in Tillsonburg, 13 in Norwich Township and nine in Woodstock).
The most recent death was reported Oct. 19 and involved a woman in her 80s from Elgin County.
Four people are hospitalized with COVID-19 with two cases in the ICU, unchanged from Wednesday.
There are no active institutional outbreaks.
Information on school cases can be found on the websites of the Thames Valley District School Board and the London District Catholic School Board.
The region’s test positivity rate was 3.4 per cent for the week of Oct. 10, up from 2.9 per cent for the week of Oct. 3.
As of Oct. 19, 82.5 per cent of those aged 12 and older in the region were fully vaccinated while 86.4 per cent have had at least one dose.
Information on where and how to get vaccinated can be found on the health unit’s website.
Huron and Perth
On Thursday, Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) reported:
- 2,292 total cases (an increase of three)
- 19 active cases (a decrease of three)
- 2,207 recoveries (an increase of six)
- 66 deaths to date (unchanged)
Among the 19 active cases, five are in North Perth and four in Perth East. Full case counts by municipality can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.
There is one patient hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Wednesday and there is one active case involving a health-care worker.
HPPH reported five outbreaks, though there were no long-term care home, retirement home or hospital outbreaks.
Two of the outbreaks involved schools:
- Huron Christian School in Clinton, declared Oct. 8 and involving six student cases
- Stratford District Christian School in Stratford, declared Oct. 8 and involving two students
The other outbreaks were listed as a community outbreak, a congregate living setting outbreak and a workplace outbreak. No further details were provided.
Data on school cases can be found on the websites of the Avon-Maitland District School Board and the Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board.
The region’s test positivity rate was 2.3 per cent for the week of Oct. 3, down from 2.6 per cent the week of Sept. 26. The data for the week of Oct. 10 was not available as of publication time.
HPPH’s vaccine dashboard showed that as of Oct. 18, 80.3 per cent of those aged 12 and older were fully vaccinated while 84.4 per cent have had at least one dose.
Information on how and where to get a vaccine can be found on the health unit’s website.
Sarnia and Lambton
On Thursday, Lambton Public Health (LPH) reported:
- 4,112 total cases (an increase of five)
- 88 active cases
- 3,954 resolved cases (an increase of six)
- 70 deaths to date (unchanged)
LPH reported a total of 587 variant of concern cases, an increase of one Delta case. Of that total, 439 have been Alpha, 130 have been Delta and 18 have been Gamma.
Six COVID-19 patients are in the care of Bluewater Health as of Thursday, a decrease of one from Wednesday.
LPH reported active outbreaks at two unidentified workplaces, declared on Oct. 3 and Oct. 8, linked to four and two cases, respectively.
Three outbreaks linked to schools are active, one at Confederation Central Public School, declared Oct. 12, and linked to fewer than five cases.
The two other active outbreaks were declared on Oct. 14 at Cathcart Boulevard Public School and Gregory A. Hogan Catholic School, both linked to fewer than five cases.
All active cases at schools within the Lambton Kent District School Board can be found online, as can cases at schools within the St. Clair Catholic District School Board.
The test positivity rate for the week of Oct. 10 was 5.2 per cent, up from 3.6 per cent the week prior.
Among those aged 12 and older, 79.2 per cent are fully vaccinated and 82.9 per cent have had at least one dose.
Residents can book and re-book COVID-19 vaccine appointments or find information on vaccine availability at pharmacies using the health unit’s registration page. People can also call the vaccine call centre at 226-254-8222.
Those who are able to get vaccinated on short notice are encouraged to sign up for Lambton Public Health’s daily Vaccine Standby List.
—With files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues and Sawyer Bogdan
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