COVID-19: MLHU reports 65 cases, death of man in his 50s

Jump to: Hospitalizations – Outbreaks – Schools – Vaccinations and testing – Ontario – Elgin and Oxford – Huron and Perth – Sarnia and Lambton

Ontario’s Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) reported 65 COVID-19 cases Wednesday and one death.

The death involved a man in his 50s not associated with a long-term care or retirement home. Based on the vaccinations status of deaths reported in the last six weeks, he was unvaccinated.

In total, there have been 15,555 confirmed cases since the onset of the pandemic, including 511 active cases (an increase of 36), 14,788 recoveries (an increase of 28) and 256 deaths.

The rate of active cases continues to climb dramatically among those in the under-12 age group, with 139 cases or 215.8 per 100,000 on Wednesday compared to 80 cases or 124.2 per 100,000 population a week ago.

The cohort with the next highest rate of active cases is the 12-17 group with 43 cases or 130.2 per 100,000.

Information on local variants of concern can be found by visiting the health unit’s summary of COVID-19 cases on the Middlesex-London page and clicking on the “Case Status” tab.

Hospitalizations

As of Wednesday, London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) was caring for 13 inpatients with COVID-19, with five or fewer in adult critical care or the intensive care unit.

There were five or fewer inpatients with COVID-19 in LHSC’s Children’s Hospital, with zero in pediatric critical care.

Twelve staff members had tested positive for COVID-19.

St. Joseph’s Health Care London reported one case involving a health-care worker.

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Outbreaks

The MLHU has reported an outbreak at McCormick Home’s Memory Lane, declared Dec. 14.

There are also outbreaks at the following schools:

• Byron Northview Public School, declared Dec. 9
• Delaware Central School, declared Dec. 11
• École élémentaire catholique Saint-Jean-de-Brébeuf, declared Dec. 10
• École élémentaire catholique St-Jeanne-d’Arc, declared Dec. 12
• Mountsfield Public School, declared Dec. 7
• Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, declared Dec. 6
• Princess Elizabeth Public School, declared Dec. 9
• Riverside Public School, declared Dec. 6
• Sir Arthur Carty Catholic School, declared Dec. 10
• Sir Arthur Currie Public School, declared Dec. 14
• St. André Bessette Secondary School, declared Dec. 9
• St. Jude Catholic School, declared Dec. 7
• St. Marguerite d’Youville School, declared Dec. 3
• St. Mary Choir and Orchestra Catholic School, declared Dec. 5
• St. Nicholas Catholic School, declared Dec. 8
• Strathroy Community Christian School, declared Dec. 13

Outbreaks have resulted in school closures for at least seven schools in London. A previous outbreak at West Oaks French Immersion Public School, declared Dec. 4, was listed as over as of Dec. 14.

The following child-care and early years centres have outbreaks:

• Tiny Hoppers Early Learning Centre – Summerside, declared Dec. 12
• Wortley YMCA Child Care Centre, declared Dec. 10

The following post-secondary institutions have outbreaks:

• Fanshawe College – Merlin House Residence, declared Nov. 28
• Western University – Delaware Hall Residence, declared Dec. 10
• Western University – Saugeen-Maitland Hall Residence, declared Nov. 27

The MLHU also reported on Dec. 6 that there was an outbreak at God’s Favourite House, a church on Dearness Drive, connected to the Omicron cluster. The status of that outbreak is unclear.

Schools

The following schools have active cases associated with them, according to the MLHU:

• Byron Northview Public School (three cases)
• Clara Brenton Public School (one case)
• Delaware Central School (one case)
• Eagle Heights Public School (two cases)
• École élémentaire catholique Frère André (one case)
• École élémentaire catholique Saint-Jean-de-Brébeuf (seven cases)
• École élémentaire catholique Saint-Jeanne-d’Arc (three cases)
• École élémentaire La Pommeraie (two cases)
• Franklin D. Roosevelt Public School (two cases)
• John Paul II Catholic Secondary School (one case)
• London Christian Academy (two cases)
• Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School (three cases)
• Riverside Public School (one case)
• Sir Arthur Carty Catholic School (two cases)
• Sir Arthur Currie Public School (one case)
• St. Andre Bessette Secondary School (16 cases)
• St. Catherine of Siena Elementary School School (two cases)
• St. Jude Catholic School (one case)
• St. Nicholas Catholic School (two cases)
• St. Paul catholic School (one case)
• St. Rose of Lima Catholic School (one case)
• St. Theresa Catholic School (two cases)
• St. Thomas More Catholic School (one case)
• Strathroy Community Christian School (three cases)
• West Oaks French Immersion Public School (three cases)
• Westmount Public School (two cases)

Child-care and early-years centres:

• L’Escale St. Jean de Brébeuf in London, three cases
• London Children’s Connection – Eagle Heights Before and After School, one case
• London Children’s Connection – Westmount Before and After School, one case
• St. Theresa YMCA Before and After School, one case
• Tiny Hoppers Early Learning Centre – Summerside, two cases
• Wortley YMCA Child Care Centre, one case
  

The health unit says at least 422 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, 86.3 per cent of residents aged five and older have had one vaccine dose while 81.5 per cent are fully vaccinated as of Dec. 11, up from 85.1 per cent with one dose and 81.1 per cent fully vaccinated as of Dec. 4.

Among the five-to-11 age group, 34.5 per cent have had one dose of vaccine.

The percentage of residents who’ve had third doses is climbing, with 34.6 per cent of those aged 80 and older having had a booster shot, along with 30.3 per cent of those 75-79 and 28.5 per cent of those 70-74 having had a third dose.

As for the vaccination status of cases, the MLHU says unvaccinated individuals have accounted for 36.44 per cent of all cases (364 of 999) and 40.0 per cent of hospitalizations (10 of 25) since Nov. 3.

Of the 10 COVID-19-related deaths reported in the last six weeks, five individuals were unvaccinated, four were fully vaccinated and one was partially 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 3.7 per cent for the week of Dec. 5, up from 3.1 per cent for the week of Nov. 28.

Ontario

The province reported 1,808 cases on Wednesday, of which 625 involve unvaccinated individuals, 39 were partially vaccinated, 1,046 were fully vaccinated and 98 people had an unknown status.

While infections are surging, patients with COVID in ICUs (intensive care units) have remained relatively stable and are down from the previous day.

According to Wednesday’s report, 343 cases were recorded in Toronto, 149 in York Region, 134 in the Kingston area, 132 in Peel Region, 117 in Ottawa, 114 in Simcoe Muskoka, and 112 in Halton Region. All other local public health units reported fewer than 100 cases.

Nine more deaths were reported in the province Wednesday.

Elgin and Oxford

On Wednesday, Southwestern Public Health reported:

• 5,755 total cases (an increase of 26 cases)
• 229 active cases (a decrease of six)
• 5,418 resolved cases (an increase of 30)
• 108 deaths to date (an increase of two)

The deaths involved a man in his 30s from Oxford County and a man in his 90s from St. Thomas.

Further details can be found on SWPH’s COVID-19 dashboard.

On Monday, SWPH reported a cluster of “approximately ten confirmed or probable cases” involving people experiencing homelessness in St. Thomas.

Of the 229 active cases in the region, 123 were in Elgin County (including 73 in St. Thomas and 21 in Aylmer) and 106 were in Oxford County (including 39 in Woodstock and 25 in Tillsonburg).

Ten people were hospitalized with COVID-19, with six in the ICU as of Wednesday.

An outbreak at Caressant Care Bonnie Place in St. Thomas declared Nov. 28 is ongoing. It involves 10 resident cases and eight staff cases.

SWPH is reporting outbreaks at the following schools:

• Woodstock Christian School in Woodstock, declared Dec. 1
• Immanuel Christian School in Aylmer, declared Dec. 2
• South Ridge Public School in Tillsonburg, declared Dec. 6
• St. Mary’s Catholic Elementary School in West Lorne, declared Dec. 10

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 4.7 per cent for the week of Dec. 5, down from 5.3 per cent for the week of Nov. 28.

As of Dec. 14, 75.7 per cent of those aged five and older in the region were fully vaccinated while 80.2 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 Wednesday, Huron Perth Public Health reported:

• 2,747 total cases (an increase of 31)
• 118 active cases (a decrease of nine)
• 2,559 recoveries (an increase of 22)
• 70 deaths to date (unchanged)

The most recent death was reported Nov. 29 and involved a community member connected to a workplace outbreak, according to a spokesperson for the health unit.

Among the 118 active cases, 22 were in North Perth, 19 in Howick and 16 in Stratford. Full case counts by the municipality can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.

There were two people hospitalized with COVID-19 and one active case involving a health-care worker as of Wednesday.

HPPH has nine active outbreaks involving seven schools and two workplaces:

• Clinton Public School in Central Huron, declared Dec. 13 and involving one staff and two students
• Elma Township Public School in North Perth, declared Nov. 23 and involving 26 students
• Little Falls Public School in St. Marys, declared Dec. 14 and involving one student
• Milverton Public School in Perth East declared Dec. 9 and involving three students
• North Perth Westfield ES in North Perth declared Nov. 30 and involving one staff and 11 students
• Perth Care for Kids in Perth East declared Dec. 6 and involving two students
• St. Josephs Catholic Elementary Public School in Stratford declared Dec. 13 and involving two students

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.

As of Dec. 13, 82 per cent of residents aged five and older have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose while 78 per cent are fully vaccinated.

The region’s test positivity rate was 4.5 per cent for the week of Dec. 5, up from 2.9 per cent for the week of Nov. 28.

Information on how and where to get a vaccine can be found on the health unit’s website.

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Sarnia and Lambton

On Wednesday, Lambton Public Health (LPH) reported:

• 4,551 total cases (an increase of 19)
• 94 active cases (an increase of 12)
• 4,379 resolved cases (an increase of seven)
• 78 deaths to date (unchanged)

The most recent death was reported Friday, Dec. 3.

As of Wednesday, there were nine COVID-19 patients in the care of Bluewater Health.

LPH is reporting six active outbreaks:

• St. Anne Catholic School, declared Dec. 3 and involving seven cases
• St. Bartholomew’s Early Childhood Learning Centre, declared Dec. 3 and involving five cases
• Bright’s Grove Public School, declared Dec. 10 and involving seven cases
• John Knox Christian School, declared Dec. 10 and involving fewer than five cases
• an unidentified workplace declared Dec. 15, involving two cases
• an unidentified workplace declared Dec. 6, involving two 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 was 3.6 per cent for the week of Dec. 5, up from 3.9 per cent the week prior.

Among area residents aged five and older, 80 per cent have had at least one dose while 76 per cent have had two doses. Nine per cent have had a third 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’ Gabby Rodrigues