Jump to: Hospitalizations – Cases and testing – Outbreaks – Vaccinations – Ontario – Elgin and Oxford – Huron and Perth – Sarnia and Lambton
The Middlesex-London Health Unit reported zero deaths and 139 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, compared with two deaths and 190 cases last Wednesday.
Wednesday marks only the second day this month that no new deaths were reported, the other being Monday.
LHSC is caring for 116 inpatients with COVID-19, 22 of whom are in adult critical care.
Hospitalizations
As noted, LHSC is caring for 116 COVID-19 inpatients, with 22 inpatients in adult critical care. Last Wednesday, there were 136 COVID-19 inpatients with 26 in adult ICUs.
Of the 116, there were five or fewer in Children’s Hospital with five or fewer in pediatric critical care. Those figures are the same as last Wednesday.
Of the 116 patients, 74 are being treated for COVID-19 while 42 others in hospital have incidental COVID-19 infections (meaning they were admitted for another reason).
Among staff, there are 141 cases, unchanged from the day before and down from 208 a week ago.
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St. Joseph’s Health Care London reported five cases among patients or residents in its care as of Tuesday and 63 health-care workers with COVID-19, compared with 12 patient cases and 76 cases among health-care workers reported last Wednesday.
All five patient cases are at Parkwood Institute Main Building.
Cases and testing
As mentioned, the MLHU reported 139 cases on Wednesday but no new deaths. So far in February, at least 17 deaths have been reported.
Last Wednesday, the MLHU reported two deaths and 190 cases.
Note that due to changes in eligibility for PCR testing, daily case counts are not considered a fully reliable reflection of COVID-19 activity in the region.
The Middlesex-London Health Unit says individuals who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should consider themselves to be positive for COVID-19 and self-isolate.
The health unit has provided information on what to do if you develop symptoms, test positive on a rapid test or PCR test or have been exposed to someone who has tested positive.
In total, there have been 30,368 confirmed cases since the onset of the pandemic, including 1,431 active cases (a decrease of 13), 28,620 resolved cases (an increase of 363) and 317 deaths (unchanged).
The test positivity rate for the week of Jan. 30 was 17.8 per cent, down from 18.9 per cent the week of Jan. 23.
Outbreaks
As of Wednesday, LHSC was reporting the following outbreaks:
- University Hospital
- U4 North East and East Corridors, General Medicine, declared Jan. 25, 16 patient cases and 11 staff cases
- U10 Subacute Medicine and Palliative Care, declared Jan. 15, involving 10 patient cases and five or fewer staff cases
- A9 Inpatients 100 and 200 Corridors, declared Jan. 11, involving 39 patient cases and 11 staff cases
- University Hospital
A previous outbreak reported at Victoria Hospital in D6-100 – Acute Medicine, declared Jan. 25, is no longer listed as active.
The MLHU has declared an outbreak at Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital in 1S as of Feb. 2.
Additionally, the MLHU is reporting the following institutional outbreaks:
- Babcock Community Care Centre, facility-wide, declared Jan. 31
- Chartwell Riverside Retirement Residence, facility-wide, declared Jan. 21
- Chelsey Park, second and fourth floor, declared Jan. 18
- Dearness Home, 3E, declared Feb. 3
- Extendicare, first, second and third floor, declared Dec. 24
- Henley Place LTC Residence, Gibbons, Springbank and Harris, declared Dec. 29
- Manor Village at London, 4E, declared Jan. 31
- Meadow Park Care Centre, Blue Unit, declared Jan. 1
- Oneida Long Term Care Home, facility-wide, declared Jan. 28
- Queens Village, lower level and second floor, declared Jan. 25; facility-wide declared Jan. 28
- Village of Glendale Crossing, facility-wide, declared Dec. 25
- Waverley Mansion, facility-wide, declared Feb. 3
Vaccinations
The MLHU provided updated vaccination data on Tuesday, covering up to the end of day Feb. 5.
As of that time, 90.2 per cent of residents aged five and older had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, up from 89.9 per cent the week prior. Two-dose coverage for that cohort sits at 85.9 per cent, up a full percentage point from 84.9 per cent.
The percentage of people aged five and older who have received third doses is 47.7 per cent, up from 46.1 per cent the week before. Note that those under 18 are not currently eligible for a third dose.
First-dose coverage for those aged five to 11 is 58.3 per cent, up from 57.3 per cent.
The MLHU’s vaccination status tab of its COVID-19 dashboard continues to state that “due to the high number of reported cases, the assessment of vaccination status is delayed.”
The MLHU provided data showing the distribution of cases, hospitalizations and ICU admissions since Dec. 15, 2021 by age, based on vaccine status from no doses to three doses. It can be found on the “vaccination status” tab of the health unit’s Summary of COVID-19 Cases in Middlesex-London page.
The data also includes the rate of cases over the past four weeks among those five and older who are fully vaccinated compared with those who are not fully vaccinated. The most recent rates, for a 28-day period ending Feb. 5, were 35.7 per 100,000 and 38.1 per 100,000, respectively.
On the health unit’s website, residents can find information on pop-up clinics, mass vaccination clinics and pharmacies, as well as guidance for anyone vaccinated outside of the province or country, transportation support for those in need and more.
Ontario
Ontario reported 2,059 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Wednesday, with 449 in intensive care units. Last Wednesday, there were 2,939 hospitalizations with 555 in ICU.
Of the 2,059 reported in hospital Wednesday, 56 per cent were admitted because of the virus while the rest were admitted for other reasons but ended up testing positive in hospital. For those in ICUs, 80 per cent were admitted because of COVID-19.
Ontario also reported 3,162 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, though that is an underestimate of the true widespread transmission of the virus due to testing restrictions.
The death toll in the province has risen to 11,944 as 66 more virus-related deaths were added.
Elgin and Oxford
Southwestern Public Health’s COVID-19 cases dashboard is only updated Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, barring holidays.
On Wednesday, SWPH reported one additional death, involving a man in his 80s from Elgin County.
SWPH reported 20 hospitalizations with five inpatients in the ICU, compared with 25 hospitalizations with six in the ICU a week ago.
The test positivity rate for the week of Jan. 30 was 14.9 per cent, down from 15.9 per cent the week before.
As for cases, SWPH reported:
- 10,672 cases (an increase of 91 from Monday with two removed due to data cleanup)
- 489 active cases (a decrease of 32 from Monday)
- 10,039 resolved cases (an increase of 120 from Monday; note that SWPH clears all cases after 10 days regardless of outcome)
- 144 total deaths to date (an increase of one from Monday)
There are active outbreaks at the following long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals:
- Chartwell Aylmer, Aylmer, declared Jan. 2 and involving seven resident cases and 16 staff cases.
- Arches Transitional Bed Program, Woodstock, declared Jan. 10 and involving 18 resident cases, 16 staff cases and one death.
- Cedarview Living Retirement, Woodstock, declared Jan. 13 and involving 74 resident cases and nine staff cases.
- Metcalfe Gardens Retirement Home, St. Thomas, declared Jan. 13 and involving 26 resident cases, eight staff cases and one death.
- Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital, Tillsonburg, declared Jan. 18 and involving 12 patient cases, two staff cases and one death.
- Maple Manor Nursing Home, Tillsonburg, declared Jan. 18 and involving 48 resident cases and 17 staff cases.
- Elgin Manor, St. Thomas, declared Jan. 20 and involving 27 resident cases and 19 staff cases.
- Seasons Retirement Home, St. Thomas, declared Jan. 25 and involving two resident cases and two staff cases.
- Woodingford Lodge, Woodstock, declared Jan. 27, involving four resident cases and four staff cases.
Previously reported outbreaks at Aylmer Retirement Residence in Aylmer, Valleyview Nursing Home in St. Thomas, Caressant Care Bonnie Place Nursing Home in St. Thomas and Beattie Manor Retirement Residency in Wardsville are no longer listed as active.
As of Feb. 7, 79.8 per cent of those aged five and older in the region had received two doses of the vaccine, while 83.3 per cent have had at least one dose.
Further information on where and how to get vaccinated can be found on the health unit’s website.
The health unit encouraged people to join its Same-Day Vaccination List, which offers any leftover doses due to cancellations or no-shows.
As of Monday, all COVID-19 vaccination clinics in St. Thomas, Woodstock and Tillsonburg accept walk-ins.
On Wednesday, SWPH also announced additional pop-up clinics:
- Ingersoll: Unifor Local 88 Hall at 364 Victoria St. on Feb. 10 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Tavistock: Tavistock and District Memorial Hall at 3 Adam St. on Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Vienna: Edson Vienna Museum at 6209 Plank Rd. on Feb. 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Princeton: Princeton Centennial Hall at 39 Main St. on Feb. 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Plattsville: Plattsville Lions Hall at 68 Mill St. on Feb. 16 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Huron and Perth
Huron Perth Public Health reported three people were in hospital with COVID-19. Of those, none were considered active cases.
Last Wednesday, HPPH reported seven people in hospital with COVID-19, including three with active cases.
For the week of Jan. 30, the test positivity rate was 11.3 per cent, down from 11.5 per cent the week of Jan. 23.
In total, HPPH reported 5,324 total cases (an increase of 35) and 90 deaths to date (unchanged).
HPPH reported 593 total cases among health-care workers since March 2020, an increase of two from Tuesday.
There are six active outbreaks reported by HPPH, including at the following long-term care or retirement homes:
- Braemar Nursing Home, North Huron, declared Jan. 12 and involving 42 residents and 17 staff cases.
- Huronview, Huron East, declared Jan. 21 and involving five resident cases and nine staff cases.
- Kingsway Lodge, St. Marys, declared Jan. 3 and involving 19 resident cases and 17 staff cases.
- Queensway Nursing Home, Bluewater, declared Jan. 27 and involving 32 resident cases and 12 staff cases.
HPPH is also reporting two hospital outbreaks: Clinton Public Hospital in Central Huron, declared Feb. 3, involving two patients and two staff; and South Huron Hospital in South Huron, declared Jan. 27, involving 17 patients and eight staff members.
As of Feb. 7, 84.1 per cent of residents aged five and older have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose while 80 per cent are fully vaccinated. Third-dose coverage stands at 50.3 per cent of those five and older, though those under the age of 18 are not eligible for a third dose.
Information on how and where to get a vaccine can be found on the health unit’s website.
Sarnia and Lambton
Bluewater Health reported 14 patients in hospital with confirmed COVID-19, compared with 32 a week ago. Of those 14, four were in the ICU, the same figure as last Wednesday.
Lambton Public Health is reporting the average ICU occupancy was 67 per cent the week of Jan. 30, unchanged from the week of Jan. 23.
The test positivity rate for the week of Jan. 30 was 25.7 per cent, up from 21.9 per cent the week before.
On Wednesday, Lambton Public Health reported:
- 9,275 total cases (an increase of 70)
- 237 active cases (an increase of 23)
- 8,922 resolved cases (an increase of 45)
- 116 deaths to date (an increase of two)
No further details were provided on the two deaths reported Wednesday.
LPH is reporting six active outbreaks:
- North Lambton Lodge long-term care home in Forest, declared Feb. 7 and involving fewer than five resident cases and fewer than five staff cases.
- Huron House Boys Home Congregate Living in Brights Grove, declared Feb. 5 and involving fewer than five residents and fewer than five staff members.
- Fiddick’s Nursing Home long-term care home in Petrolia, declared Feb. 3 and involving 18 residents and fewer than five staff members.
- Watford Quality Care long-term care home in Watford, declared Jan. 5 and involving 20 resident cases and 16 staff cases.
- Trillium Villa long-term care home in Sarnia, declared Jan. 3 and involving 60 residents and 42 staff/caregivers.
- Unidentified workplace, declared Jan. 26 and involving 10 cases.
A previously reported outbreak at Afton Park Place long-term care home in Sarnia, declared Jan. 23 and involving fewer than five resident cases and fewer than five staff cases, was declared over Feb. 3.
Among area residents aged five and older, 82 per cent have had at least one dose of vaccine, 79 per cent have had two doses and 47 per cent have had a third dose. Note that those under 18 are not currently eligible for 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 Gabby Rodrigues
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