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 14 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday.
In total, there have been 14,425 cases, of which 124 are active (an increase of eight), 14,056 are recovered (an increase of eight) and 245 people have died (unchanged).
The most recent death was reported Oct. 21 and involved a man in his 70s who was not associated with a long-term care or retirement home and who was fully vaccinated but eligible for a third dose due to a suppressed immune system.
Of the 124 active cases, 44 involve kids 0-11, a cohort that is not yet eligible for vaccination. The rate of active cases among that age group is 68.3 per 100,000 population.
The next highest rate of active cases involves those aged 12-17, at 27.2 cases per 100,000 population (or nine active cases).
Since Sept. 12, the MLHU says all of the variant of concern cases in the region have been the Delta variant except for one case in which they were unable to generate sequencing. Total counts by the type of variant of concern can be found on the health unit’s summary of COVID-19 cases in Middlesex-London page and clicking the “Case Status” tab.
Hospitalizations
London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) was caring for six inpatients with COVID-19, as of Tuesday.
There were five or fewer inpatients in adult critical care or the intensive care unit.
There were 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
The MLHU is not reporting any active outbreaks in the region involving long-term care homes, retirement homes or hospitals.
The following schools are experiencing outbreaks:
- Our Lady of the Pillar Academy, declared Oct. 18
- Clara Brenton Public School, declared Oct. 23
- Covenant Christian School, declared Oct. 23
- St. Nicholas Senior Catholic School, declared Oct. 24
Schools
The following schools have active cases associated with them, according to the MLHU:
- Byron Southwood Public School (one case)
- Caradoc Public School (one case)
- Clara Brenton Public School (two cases)
- Clarke Road Secondary School (two cases)
- Covenant Christian School (six cases)
- Kensal Park Public School (two cases)
- Lester B. Pearson School for the Arts (one case)
- Mary Wright Public School (one case)
- Masonville Public School (one case)
- Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School (two cases)
- Mountsfield Public School (one case)
- Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School (one case)
- Our Lady of the Pillar Academy (two cases)
- Rick Hansen Public School (two cases)
- St. Nicholas Senior Catholic School (three cases)
- St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School (one case)
- Wilberforce Public School (one case)
There are three active COVID-19 cases associated with child-care or early years centres:
- Kidventures (one case)
- London Children’s Connection: Caradoc – Before and After School (one case)
- Noshin’s Kids Care (one case)
The health unit said at least 170 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 MLHU provided updated vaccination data on Tuesday, showing that as of end of day Oct. 23, 84.9 per cent of eligible residents were fully vaccinated while 88.8 per cent have had at least one dose.
The breakdown is fairly close between the City of London, which has 84.8 per cent fully vaccinated and 88.8 per cent with at least one dose, and Middlesex County, which has 85.6 per cent of its eligible residents fully vaccinated and 88.5 per cent with one dose.
The age range with the overall lowest uptake is those aged 18 to 24, though at this point 76.8 per cent of that cohort is fully vaccinated and 83.6 per cent has had at least one dose.
Youth aged 12 to 17 have the highest vaccination rate of anyone under the age of 60, with 86.5 per cent fully vaccinated and 92.4 per cent having had at least one dose.
When it comes to COVID-19 cases, MLHU data shows most cases involve individuals who have not been vaccinated, even though they make up a smaller proportion of the population.
Since Sept. 14, unvaccinated individuals have accounted for 61.38 per cent of all cases (or 391 of 637 cases) and 70.37 per cent of all hospitalizations (19 of 27).
Meanwhile, 30.46 per cent of all cases (or 194 of cases 637) involved those who were fully vaccinated while 22.22 per cent of all hospitalizations (six of 27) involved individuals who were fully vaccinated.
The rest of the cases involved individuals who were partially vaccinated or not yet protected by vaccination.
Of the eight COVID-19-related deaths reported in the last six weeks, three involved people who were unvaccinated, two 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 269 cases Tuesday, the lowest daily case count since early August.
Of those, the data showed 142 were unvaccinated people, 11 were partially vaccinated people, 93 were fully vaccinated people and for 23 people the vaccination status was unknown.
According to Tuesday’s report, 39 cases were recorded in Toronto, 36 in Peel Region, 27 in Windsor-Essex, 21 in Niagara Region and 19 in Southwestern. All other health units fewer than 15 cases.
Six more deaths were reported but one occurred over a month ago.
Among those aged 12 and older, 84 per cent are fully immunized against COVID-19.
Elgin and Oxford
On Tuesday, Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) reported:
- 4,623 total cases (an increase of 19)
- 84 active cases (a decrease of three)
- 4,449 resolved cases (an increase of 22)
- 90 deaths to date (unchanged)
- 1,448 variant of concern cases (an increase of nine, all Delta), with 775 Alpha, 619 Delta and 54 Beta or Gamma
Of the 84 active cases in the region, 35 were in Elgin County (including 14 in Aylmer and eight in St. Thomas) and 49 were in Oxford County (including 19 in Woodstock and eight each in Ingersoll and Tillsonburg).
The most recent death was reported Oct. 19, involving a woman in her 80s from Elgin County.
Three people are hospitalized with COVID-19 with two cases in the ICU. There are no active institutional outbreaks as of Tuesday.
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.
On Oct. 24, 82.5 per cent of those aged 12 and older in the region were fully vaccinated while 86.2 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 Tuesday, Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) reported:
- 2,309 total cases (an increase of three)
- 20 active cases (a decrease of two)
- 2,222 recoveries (an increase of five)
- 67 deaths to date (unchanged)
Among the 20 active cases, 14 are in Perth East. Full case counts by municipality can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.
There was one patient hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Tuesday and there are three active cases involving health-care workers.
HPPH is reporting two outbreaks, though there were no long-term care home, retirement home or hospital outbreaks as of Tuesday.
One outbreak involves Huron Christian School in Clinton and was declared Oct. 8. HPPH says it involves seven student cases.
One workplace outbreak is also ongoing, though no further details were provided. A previously-reported community outbreak is also no longer active.
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 has not yet been provided.
HPPH’s vaccine dashboard showed that as of Oct. 24, 81.0 per cent of those aged 12 and older were fully vaccinated while 84.7 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 Tuesday, Lambton Public Health (LPH) reported:
- 4,155 total cases (an increase of three)
- 66 active cases (a decrease of 21)
- 4,019 resolved cases (an increase of 24)
- 70 deaths to date (unchanged)
On Tuesday, LPH reported a total of 604 variant of concern cases, unchanged from Monday. Of those, 439 have been Alpha, 147 have been Delta and 18 have been Gamma.
Six COVID-19 patients were in the care of Bluewater Health as of Tuesday.
LPH is reporting three active outbreaks on Tuesday, all in schools:
- Queen Elizabeth II Public School Petrolia, declared Oct. 22 and involving fewer than five cases
- Cathcart Boulevard Public School, declared Oct. 14 and involving fewer than five cases
- Gregory A. Hogan Catholic School, declared Oct. 14 and involving fewer than five cases
A previous outbreak at Confederation Central Public School, declared Oct. 12 and involving fewer than five cases, was listed as resolved as of Oct. 26.
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 area residents aged 12 and older, 79.6 per cent are fully vaccinated and 83.2 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’ Sawyer Bogdan and Gabby Rodrigues