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 116 COVID-19 cases on Friday — the highest daily case count since 141 cases were recorded April 27 and the first time the daily count has climbed above 100 since 100 cases were recorded May 8.
The case count also marks a sharp uptick week over week, with the MLHU reporting 42 cases last Friday, Dec. 10 and 38 cases on Friday, Dec. 3.
The most recent death was reported Thursday and involved a man in his 90s, 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 15,756 confirmed cases since the onset of the pandemic, including 638 active cases (an increase of 88), 14,861 recoveries (an increase of 30) and 257 deaths (unchanged).
The rate of active cases is highest among those 0-11, with 158 cases or 245.3 per 100,000 population, up from 94 cases or 145.9 per 100,000 population last Friday, Dec. 10.
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 Friday, London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) was caring for 15 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.
Thirteen staff members had tested positive for COVID-19.
St. Joseph’s Health Care London reported two cases involving health-care workers.
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
- École élémentaire catholique Frère-André, declared Dec. 15
- École élémentaire catholique Saint-Jean-de-Brébeuf, declared Dec. 10
- École élémentaire catholique St-Jeanne-d’Arc, declared Dec. 12
- École élémentaire La Pommeraie, declared Dec. 16
- London Christian Academy, declared Dec. 16
- 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. Nicholas Catholic School, declared Dec. 8
- Strathroy Community Christian School, declared Dec. 13
A previous outbreak at Delaware Central School declared Dec. 11 was listed as over as of Dec. 16.
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
Acting medical officer of health Dr. Alex Summers said Thursday that the outbreaks at Western and Fanshawe are “fairly stable.”
Schools
The following schools have active cases associated with them, according to the MLHU:
- Arthur Ford Public School (one case)
- Ashley Oaks Public School (one case)
- Byron Northview Public School (three cases)
- C. C. Carrothers Public School (one case)
- Clara Brenton Public School (two cases
- Delaware Central School (one case)
- Eagle Heights Public School (two cases)
- École élémentaire catholique Frère André (four cases)
- École élémentaire catholique Saint-Jean-de-Brébeuf (18 cases)
- École élémentaire catholique Saint-Jeanne-d’Arc (eight cases)
- École élémentaire La Pommeraie (three cases)
- Emily Carr Public School (one case)
- H. B. Beal Secondary School (two cases)
- John Paul II Catholic Secondary School (one case)
- London Christian Academy (two cases)
- North Meadows Elementary School (one case)
- Notre Dame Catholic School (one case)
- Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School (one case)
- Princess Elizabeth Public School (one case)
- Rick Hansen Public School (one case)
- Riverside Public School (one case)
- Saunders Secondary School (one case)
- Sir Arthur Carty Catholic School (four cases)
- Sir Arthur Currie Public School (two cases)
- Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School (one case)
- St. Andre Bessette Secondary School (14 cases)
- St. Catherine of Siena Elementary School School (two cases)
- St. Paul Catholic School (two cases)
- St. Theresa Catholic School (two cases)
- St. Thomas More Catholic School (one case)
- Strathroy Community Christian School (five cases)
- Tweedsmuir Public School (one case)
- W. Sherwood Fox Public School (one case)
- Westmount Public School (two cases)
- Wilton Grove Public School (one case)
Child-care and early-years centres:
- L’Escale St. Jean de Brébeuf in London (four cases)
- London Children’s Connection: Eagle Heights Before and After School (one case)
- London Children’s Connection: John Dearness Before and After School (two cases)
- London Children’s Connection: River Heights Before and After School (one case)
- London Children’s Connection: Riverside Before and After School (one case)
- London Children’s Connection: St. David 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)
- YMCA Before and After School Program: North Meadows Elementary School (one case)
The health unit says at least 473 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 and LHSC have announced holiday hours for the Carling COVID-19 Assessment Centre. The centre will operate from 9:20 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 24 and from 10:20 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 25 before resuming regular hours on Sunday, Dec. 26 (9:20 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.).
Telephone booking will be unavailable from Dec. 24 to 27 as well as on Jan. 3 but appointments can still be booked online any time.
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 as of Dec. 4.
As for the vaccination status of cases, the MLHU says unvaccinated individuals have accounted for 34.29 per cent of all cases (406 of 1,184) and 38.46 per cent of hospitalizations (10 of 26) since Nov. 4. Note that those who are unvaccinated account for only 13.7 per cent of the population aged five and older.
Of the 11 COVID-19-related deaths reported in the last six weeks, six 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
Ontario reported 3,124 cases Friday, up from 1,453 cases last Friday and 1,031 the Friday before that.
Of the 3,124 new cases recorded, the data showed 788 were unvaccinated people, 96 were partially vaccinated people, 2,120 were fully vaccinated people and for 130 people the vaccination status was unknown.
Five more deaths were reported Friday.
Ontario reported 358 people in general hospital wards with COVID-19 (up by 30 from the previous day) with 157 patients in intensive care units (down by eight) and 139 patients in intensive care units on a ventilator (down by eight).
Elgin and Oxford
Southwestern Public Health says as of Dec. 16, all cases “will be automatically closed after 10 days of a positive result,” regardless of their outcome.
On Friday, Southwestern Public Health reported:
- 5,836 total cases (an increase of 36)
- 234 active cases (a decrease of 26)
- 5,494 resolved cases (an increase of 10)
- 108 deaths to date (unchanged)
The most recent deaths were reported Wednesday, Dec. 15 and 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.
Of the 234 active cases in the region, 121 were in Elgin County (including 66 in St. Thomas and 19 in Aylmer) and 113 were in Oxford County (including 40 in Woodstock, 18 in Ingersoll and 16 each in Norwich Township and Tillsonburg).
Eleven people were hospitalized with COVID-19, with seven in the ICU as of Friday.
An outbreak at Caressant Care Bonnie Place in St. Thomas declared Nov. 28 is ongoing. It involves 11 resident cases and nine staff cases. One death is associated with the outbreak.
SWPH is reporting outbreaks at the following schools:
- Immanuel Christian School in Aylmer, declared Dec. 2
- St. Mary’s Catholic Elementary School in West Lorne, declared Dec. 10
- Hickson Central Public School in Hickson, declared Dec. 15
- Ingersoll District Collegiate Institute in Ingersoll, declared Dec. 15
- King’s Academy Private School in St. Thomas, declared Dec. 16
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. 16, 75.8 per cent of those aged five and older in the region were fully vaccinated while 80.4 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 Friday, Huron Perth Public Health reported:
- 2,777 total cases (an increase of eight)
- 100 active cases (a decrease of 21)
- 2,607 recoveries (an increase of 29)
- 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 100 active cases, 18 were in Stratford, 17 in North Perth, 14 in St. Marys and 13 in Howick.
Full case counts by the municipality can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.
There were three people hospitalized with COVID-19 and two active cases involving health-care workers as of Friday.
HPPH has 10 active outbreaks involving nine schools and one workplace:
- 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
- Howick Central Public School in Howick, declared Dec. 15 and involving two student cases
- Listowel District Secondary School in North Perth, declared Dec. 16 and involving one staff and one student case
- Little Falls Public School in St. Marys, declared Dec. 14 and involving two students
- Milverton Public School in Perth East, declared Dec. 9 and involving four 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 outbreak.
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.
Sarnia and Lambton
On Friday, Lambton Public Health (LPH) reported:
- 4,603 total cases (an increase of 28)
- 129 active cases (an increase of 16)
- 4,396 resolved cases (an increase of 12)
- 78 deaths to date (unchanged)
The most recent death was reported Friday, Dec. 3.
As of Friday, there were 13 COVID-19 patients in the care of Bluewater Health.
LPH is reporting seven active outbreaks, five of which are at unidentified workplaces.
- Bright’s Grove Public School, declared Dec. 10 and involving nine cases
- John Knox Christian School, declared Dec. 10 and involving fewer than five cases
- an unidentified workplace declared Dec. 15, involving three cases
- four unidentified workplaces, all declared Dec. 16 and involving two cases each
A previous outbreak at St. Anne Catholic School, declared Dec. 3 and involving seven cases, was listed as over as of Dec. 16. An outbreak at St. Bartholomew’s Early Childhood Learning Centre, declared Dec. 3 and involving five cases, was also declared over as of Dec. 16. An outbreak at an unidentified workplace declared Dec. 6 and involving two cases was listed as over as of Dec. 16.
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. Ten 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
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