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 27 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, though the total case count climbed by 29 to 14,934, the discrepancy likely due to data cleanup.
There are currently 168 active cases (an increase of 10), 14,514 recoveries (an increase of 19) and 252 deaths (unchanged).
The most recent deaths were reported Nov. 22 and involved an unvaccinated man in his 60s and a fully vaccinated woman in her 80s.
The rate of active cases among those aged 18 to 24 is now the highest, with 25 cases working out to 47.4 cases per 100,000 population. The rate of cases among those under age 11 is 43.5 per 100,000, or 28 cases. Children aged five to 11 have only been eligible for vaccination since Nov. 26 while those kids under four are ineligible.
Information on local variant of concern data can be found by visiting the health unit’s summary of COVID-19 cases in Middlesex-London page and clicking on the “Case Status” tab.
Hospitalizations
London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is caring for 18 inpatients with COVID-19, with eight in adult critical care or the intensive care unit, as of Thursday.
On Nov. 29, LHSC chief medical officer Dr. Adam Dukelow reiterated that, over the previous four weeks, roughly two-thirds of LHSC’s COVID-19 admissions came from outside of London-Middlesex.
There were five or fewer inpatients with COVID-19 in LHSC’s Children’s Hospital, with five or fewer in pediatric critical care as of Thursday.
Five or fewer staff members had tested positive for COVID-19.
St. Joseph’s Health Care London is reporting zero cases involving health-care workers.
Outbreaks
The MLHU is reporting an outbreak at Fanshawe College’s Merlin House residence, declared Nov. 28, and at Western University’s Saugeen-Maitland Hall residence, declared Nov. 27.
As of Monday, the outbreak at Western involved eight students. Three cases were associated with the Fanshawe outbreak as of Monday.
Schools
The following schools have active cases associated with them, according to the MLHU:
- Blessed Sacrament Catholic School (one case)
- Glen Cairn Public School (one case)
- Mountsfield Public School (two cases)
- Ryerson Public School (one case)
- St. Andre Bessette Secondary School (one case)
- St. George’s Public School (one case)
- St. Jude Catholic School (one case)
- Tecumseh Public School (two cases)
- West Oaks French Immersion Public School (one case)
The following child-care and early years centres have active cases associated with them, says the MLHU:
- London Bridge: Huron Heights Early Childhood Learning Centre (one case)
The health unit says at least 277 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
According to the MLHU, 90.2 per cent of residents aged 12 and older have had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine as of Nov. 27 while 87.5 per cent are fully vaccinated.
The MLHU is providing additional data now that vaccinations have opened for those aged five to 11. Among the entire population age five and over, 83.3 per cent of the population has had at least one dose while 80.8 per cent are fully vaccinated.
As for the vaccination status of cases, the MLHU says unvaccinated individuals have accounted for 47.09 per cent of all cases (243 of 516) and 47.37 per cent of hospitalizations (nine of 19) since Oct. 21.
Of the seven COVID-19-related deaths reported in the last six weeks, four involved individuals who were unvaccinated, one involved someone partially vaccinated and one involved someone who was 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 the locations of testing sites on the health unit’s website.
The latest COVID-19 test positivity rate in the region was 2.1 per cent for the week of Nov. 21, up from 1.6 per cent for the week of Nov. 14.
Ontario
Ontario reported 959 cases Thursday, of which 446 involved unvaccinated individuals.
According to Thursday’s report, 118 cases were recorded in Toronto, 91 in Windsor-Essex, 75 each in Peel Region and Simcoe Muskoka, 59 in Ottawa, and 53 in York Region. All other health units had fewer than 50 cases.
Seven more deaths were reported by the province on Thursday.
Test positivity hit 2.9 per cent. Last week, test positivity was at 2.6 per cent.
Elgin and Oxford
On Thursday, Southwestern Public Health reported:
- 5,411 total cases (an increase of 29 cases)
- 169 active cases (a decrease of one)
- 5,143 resolved cases (an increase of 29)
- 99 deaths to date (an increase of one)
The death reported Thursday involved a woman in her 50s from Elgin County, a SWPH spokesperson told Global News.
This is the second death reported this week. A death was also reported Monday involving a woman in her 80s from Elgin County. Further details can be found on SWPH’s COVID-19 dashboard.
Within SWPH’s jurisdiction, new restrictions announced earlier this week for Aylmer, Bayham, Blandford-Blenheim, Malahide, Norwich, South-West Oxford, Tillsonburg and West Elgin come into effect Thursday.
Of the 169 active cases in the region, 82 were in Elgin County (including 54 in St. Thomas, 14 in Aylmer and 10 in Bayham) and 87 were in Oxford County (including 29 in Woodstock and 25 in Tillsonburg).
SWPH does not disclose the vaccination status of individuals but told Global News on Nov. 9 that roughly 78 per cent of active cases at the time involved individuals who were not fully vaccinated.
Eight people were hospitalized with COVID-19, with five in the ICU as of Thursday.
SWPH declared an outbreak at Caressant Care Bonnie Place in St. Thomas on Nov. 28, involving three resident cases and four staff cases.
An outbreak at Aylmer Retirement Residence, declared Nov. 18, involving eight resident cases and two staff cases, is ongoing.
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 5.9 per cent for the week of Nov. 21, up from 5.4 per cent for the week of Nov. 14.
As of Nov. 30, 75.3 per cent of those aged five and older in the region were fully vaccinated while 77.9 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
Global News is awaiting Thursday’s data from Huron Perth Public Health.
On Wednesday, Huron Perth Public Health reported:
- 2,568 total cases (an increase of eight)
- 64 active cases (an increase of four)
- 2,434 recoveries (an increase of four)
- 70 deaths to date (unchanged)
The most recent death was reported Nov. 29 and involved a community member and was connected to a workplace outbreak, according to a spokesperson for the health unit.
Among the 64 active cases, 41 were reported in North Perth and eight in Perth East. Full case counts by municipality can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.
There were five people hospitalized with COVID-19 and there was one active case involving a health-care worker as of Wednesday.
HPPH is reporting six outbreaks, involving three schools, one child-care centre and two workplaces.
- An outbreak at North Perth Westfield ES in North Perth, declared Nov. 30, involves two students.
- An outbreak at North Perth Westfield Before and After Program, declared Nov. 29, involves two students.
- An outbreak at Elma Township Public School in North Perth, declared Nov. 23, involves 21 students.
- An outbreak at North Perth Spinrite Child and Family Centre in North Perth, declared Nov. 22, involves three child cases.
No further information was provided about the workplace outbreaks.
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 3.6 per cent for the week of Nov. 21, up from 2.9 per cent for the week of Nov. 14.
HPPH’s vaccine dashboard showed that as of Nov. 28, 83.4 per cent of those aged 12 and older were fully vaccinated while 85.9 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:
- 4,394 total cases (an increase of 10)
- 43 active cases (an increase of three)
- 4,274 resolved cases (an increase of seven)
- 77 deaths (unchanged)
The most recent death was reported Nov. 30 and involved someone in their 80s who died in hospital.
As of Thursday, three COVID-19 patients were in the care of Bluewater Health.
LPH is reporting two active outbreaks.
A workplace outbreak was declared Nov. 28 and involves two cases. No further information was provided.
An outbreak declared Nov. 28 at Generations Day Care’s St. Philip Site is ongoing and involves fewer than five cases.
A previously-reported outbreak at Bluewater Health hospital, declared Nov. 18 and involving fewer than five patient cases and fewer than five staff cases, was listed as resolved as of Dec. 1.
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 Nov. 21 was 2.8 per cent, up slightly from 2.7 per cent the week prior.
Among area residents aged 12 and older, 82.1 per cent are fully vaccinated and 84.7 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 contact 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