Jump to: Hospitalizations – Cases and testing – Outbreaks – Vaccinations – Ontario – Elgin and Oxford – Huron and Perth – Sarnia and Lambton
The Middlesex-London Health Unit reported no new deaths on Wednesday and 85 COVID-19 cases.
This marks just the fourth day this month that no new virus-related deaths were reported by the MLHU, with the other days being Feb. 7, 9 and 14.
The health unit also announced Wednesday that, effective immediately, it has lifted its Section 22 Order for Food and Drink Establishments as well as its Letter of Instruction to Sports and Recreation Facilities in order to align with announcements from the province about upcoming changes to public health measures.
The order had required food and drink to be consumed only in designated, stationary areas with masks worn at all times except when food and drink was being consumed. The instruction required those aged 12 and older “attending an indoor facility for organized sports events to provide proof of full vaccination upon entry, as well as the enforcement of masking, physical distancing and capacity limits at these facilities.”
London Health Sciences Centre, meanwhile, is caring for 71 inpatients with COVID-19, 16 of whom are in adult critical care.
Hospitalizations
As noted, LHSC is caring for 71 COVID-19 inpatients, with 16 inpatients in adult critical care. Last Wednesday, LHSC was caring for 116 COVID inpatients with 22 in ICUs.
Of the 71, there were seven in Children’s Hospital with five or fewer in pediatric critical care. Last week, there were five or fewer in Children’s Hospital with five or fewer in pediatric critical care.
LHSC executive VP and chief nursing executive Carol Young-Ritchie noted on Monday that the majority of COVID-19 inpatients in Children’s Hospital were admitted for other reasons and tested positive for COVID-19 in hospital.
Of the 71 patients, 35 are being treated for COVID-19 while 36 others in hospital have incidental COVID-19 infections (meaning they were admitted for another reason).
Among staff, there are 134 cases, down from 141 a week ago.
St. Joseph’s Health Care London reported one case among patients or residents in its care and 55 health-care workers with COVID-19. A week ago it reported five patient or resident cases and 63 cases among health-care workers.
Cases and testing
As mentioned, no new deaths were reported by the MLHU on Wednesday, after four deaths were reported Tuesday, no deaths on Monday, one on Sunday and three on Saturday.
So far in February, 35 deaths have been reported.
The health unit also reported 85 cases on Tuesday, compared to 139 a week ago.
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 31,004 confirmed cases since the onset of the pandemic, including 1,229 currently active cases (a decrease of 77), 29,447 resolved cases (an increase of 167) and 335 deaths (unchanged).
The test positivity rate for the week of Feb. 6 was 16.6 per cent, down from 17.8 per cent the week of Jan. 30.
Outbreaks
LHSC is updating its outbreak information on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, except in the cases where an outbreak is resolved or declared.
LHSC is reporting the following outbreaks:
- University Hospital
- U4 North East and East Corridors, General Medicine, declared Jan. 25, 16 patient cases and 13 staff cases
- A9 Inpatients 100 and 200 Corridors, declared Jan. 11, involving 40 patient cases and 13 staff cases
- University Hospital
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
- Extendicare, first and second floors, declared Dec. 24
- Henley Place LTC Residence, Harris, declared Dec. 29
- Maple View Terrace, third floor, declared Feb. 12
- Meadow Park Care Centre, Blue Unit, declared Jan. 1
- Oneida Long Term Care Home, facility-wide, declared Jan. 28
- Waverley Mansion, facility-wide, declared Feb. 3
- Westmount Gardens, Lily Unit, declared Feb. 15
Vaccinations
As of the end of day Feb. 12, 90.4 per cent of residents aged five and older had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, up from 90.2 per cent the week prior. Two-dose coverage for that cohort sits at 86.5 per cent, up a full percentage point from 85.9 per cent.
The percentage of people aged five and older who have received third doses is 48.5 per cent, up from 47.7 per cent the week before. Note that those under 18 are not currently eligible for a third dose, though eligibility is expanding to those 12 to 17 beginning Friday.
First-dose coverage for those aged five to 11 is 59.0 per cent, up from 58.3 per cent.
Data showing the distribution of cases, hospitalizations and ICU admissions since Dec. 22, 2021, by age, based on vaccine status from no doses to three doses can be found on the “vaccination status” tab of the health unit’s Summary of COVID-19 Cases in Middlesex-London page.
Further information on vaccination in the MLHU’s region, as well as other COVID-19-related information, can be found on the health unit’s website.
Ontario
The province reported 1,403 people in hospital with COVID on Wednesday, with 364 in ICUs, compared to 2,059 hospitalizations and 449 in ICUs last Wednesday.
Of the 1,403, 54 per cent were admitted to hospital because of the virus while the rest were admitted for other reasons but tested positive in hospital. Of the 364 in ICUs, 82 per cent were admitted because of the virus.
The province also reported 2,532 lab-confirmed cases on Wednesday though the actual number is likely much higher due to widespread transmission and recent testing restrictions.
The death toll in the province has risen to 12,167 as 47 more virus-related deaths were added. A ministry of health spokesperson said 46 of the deaths occurred over the past 30 days. One death was from more than a month ago.
Elgin and Oxford
Southwestern Public Health’s COVID-19 cases dashboard is updated only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, barring holidays.
SWPH reported one death on Wednesday involving a man in his 50s from Oxford County. The health unit also noted that it has made changes to its dashboard “to align with recent changes from the province.”
SWPH said, previously, anyone who was COVID-19 positive at their death was listed as a COVID-19 fatality but now only deaths where COVID-19 was the underlying or contributing cause of death are counted. As a result, three deaths were removed from SWPH’s total count.
On Wednesday, SWPH reported 19 hospitalizations with six inpatients in the ICU, compared with 20 hospitalizations and five inpatients in the ICU a week ago.
The test positivity rate for the week of Feb. 6 was 13.5 per cent, down from 14.9 per cent the week prior.
As for cases, SWPH reported:
- 10,913 cases (an increase of 53 from Monday with two removed due to data cleanup)
- 343 active cases (a decrease of 140 from Monday)
- 10,425 resolved cases (an increase of 104 from Monday; note that SWPH clears all cases after 10 days regardless of outcome)
- 145 total deaths to date (a decrease of three and increase of one from Monday, as explained above)
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 19 staff cases.
- Metcalfe Gardens Retirement Home, St. Thomas, declared Jan. 13 and involving 28 resident cases, nine staff cases and one death.
- Maple Manor Nursing Home, Tillsonburg, declared Jan. 18 and involving 49 resident cases and 18 staff cases.
- Elgin Manor, St. Thomas, declared Jan. 20 and involving 28 resident cases, 20 staff cases and two deaths.
- Bethany Care Home, Norwich, declared Feb. 9 and involving three resident cases and one staff case.
- Woodingford Lodge, Woodstock, declared Jan. 27, involving four resident cases and five staff cases.
Previously reported outbreaks at Cedarview Living Retirement, Woodstock, declared Jan. 13 and involving 74 resident cases and nine staff cases and at Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital, Tillsonburg, declared Jan. 18 and involving 12 patient cases, two staff cases and one death, are no longer listed as active.
As of Feb. 14, 80.2 per cent of those aged five and older in the region had received two doses of the vaccine, while 83.4 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.
All COVID-19 vaccination clinics in St. Thomas, Woodstock and Tillsonburg are currently accepting walk-ins.
There is also a pop-up clinic on Wednesday in Plattsville at Plattsville Lions Hall at 68 Mill St. from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Huron and Perth
On Wednesday, Huron Perth Public Health reported one person was in hospital with COVID-19 and the case was not considered active.
Last Wednesday, HPPH reported three people in hospital with COVID-19, none considered active cases.
For the week of Feb. 6, the test positivity rate was 11.0 per cent, down from 11.3 per cent the week prior.
In total, HPPH reported 5,483 total cases (an increase of 52 from Monday, or 26 from Tuesday) and 92 deaths to date (an increase of one from Monday).
HPPH reported 630 total cases among health-care workers since March 2020, an increase of seven from Monday.
There are three active outbreaks reported by HPPH:
- Queensway Nursing Home, Bluewater, declared Jan. 27 and involving 35 resident cases and 19 staff cases.
- South Huron Hospital in South Huron, declared Jan. 27, involving 16 patients and 13 staff members.
- an outbreak at an unidentified congregate living facility.
A previously-reported outbreak at Braemar Nursing Home, North Huron, declared Jan. 12 and involving 42 residents and 17 staff cases, is no longer listed as active.
As of Feb. 14, 84.1 per cent of residents aged five and older have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose while 80.4 per cent are fully vaccinated. Third-dose coverage stands at 51.1 per cent of those five and older, though those under the age of 18 are not yet 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 nine patients in hospital with confirmed COVID-19, compared with 14 a week ago. Of those nine, one was in the ICU, compared with four a week ago.
Lambton Public Health is reporting the average ICU occupancy was 67 per cent for the week of Feb. 6, down from 81 the week of Jan. 30.
The test positivity rate for the week of Feb. 6 was 22.9 per cent, down from 25.7 per cent the week of Jan. 30.
On Wednesday, Lambton Public Health reported:
- 9,499 total cases (an increase of seven from Tuesday)
- 142 active cases (a decrease of six)
- 9,236 resolved cases (an increase of 13)
- 121 deaths to date (unchanged)
The most recent death was reported Tuesday. No further details were provided.
LPH is reporting four 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 23 residents and five staff members.
- Unidentified workplace, declared Jan. 26 and involving 15 cases (making it the largest workplace outbreak reported by LPH throughout the pandemic).
Among area residents aged five and older, 83 per cent have had at least one dose of vaccine, 79 per cent have had two doses and 48 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 Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues
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