Jump to: Hospitalizations – Cases and testing – Outbreaks – Vaccinations – Ontario – Elgin and Oxford – Huron and Perth – Sarnia and Lambton
- Officials with the Middlesex-London Health Unit reported 116 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday and no deaths.
- At London Health Sciences Centre, 27 inpatients with COVID-19 are being cared for as of Thursday. Of those, five or fewer are in adult critical care.
- LHSC reported 199 active staff cases on Thursday, up from 172 the day before.
Hospitalizations
London Health Sciences Centre reported on Thursday that it was caring for 27 inpatients with COVID-19, up from 23 on Wednesday.
Five or fewer are in adult critical care or intensive care, a figure unchanged.
LHSC says five or fewer of its inpatients are in Children’s Hospital, while zero are in pediatric critical care, also unchanged.
Of the total number of inpatients, 21 are being treated for COVID-19, while six are admitted for other reasons but also happen to have the virus.
As for staff, LHSC reports 199 have tested positive for the virus, up from 172 the day before.
St. Joseph’s Healthcare London reported 85 infections among health-care workers at the hospital network, along with one patient or resident case involving Parkwood Institute Main Building.
Cases and testing
- 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.
On Thursday, 116 new cases were reported by the MLHU but no new deaths.
This brings the region to a total of 33,345 lab-confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic, 32,381 of which have been deemed resolved, according to the MLHU; 698 cases are currently active.
There have been a total of 356 deaths reported so far in London and Middlesex County.
Outbreaks
Two outbreaks remain active at LHSC.
The latest outbreak was declared on Monday at Victoria Hospital’s B92 Ortho Trauma. Five or fewer patients and eight staff have been linked to the outbreak.
The other outbreak, declared Feb. 28, is affecting 13 patients and 17 staff at University Hospital’s U8 General Surgery 100/200/300.
Elsewhere, an outbreak was declared on Wednesday at Strahmere Lodge, a long-term care home in Strathroy-Caradoc. That outbreak is affecting the Sydenham Meadows of the lodge’s first floor.
Outbreaks also remain active at the following long-term care or retirement homes:
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- Horizon Place, facility-wide, declared March 22
- Village of Glendale Crossing, Lambeth Floor, declared March 22
- Chelsey Park, fourth floor – A, B and C wings, declared March 4
- Chelsey Park Retirement Community, facility-wide, declared March 4
- Dearness Home, 5E, declared March 20
- Longworth Retirement Residence, first and second floors, declared March 17
- Middlesex Health Alliance (Four Counties – acute care nursing unit), declared March 12
Vaccinations
The latest vaccination data was released Tuesday by the health unit, covering a time period up to the end of the day on March 19.
As of that date, the health unit says 90.9 per cent of residents age five and older have had at least one dose, up from 90.8 per cent a week prior. Two-dose coverage for those five and older is now 87.9 per cent, up from 87.7 per cent.
For third doses, 50.8 per cent of people five and older have received a booster, up from 50.5 per cent a week earlier. Note that those aged 12 to 17 only became eligible for a third dose as of Feb. 18 and those under 12 are still not eligible.
For children aged five to 11, first-dose coverage stands at 60.6 per cent, up from 60.1 per cent a week earlier, while 46 per cent have had two doses, up from 44.4 per cent.
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 661 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Thursday, with 165 in intensive care.
Meanwhile, Ontario also reported 2,561 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases on Thursday. The provincial case total now stands at 1,145,575.
The death toll in the province has risen to 12,366 as 10 more virus-related deaths were added. Thursday’s report said seven of the deaths occurred within the last month and three deaths occurred more than a month ago.
A full breakdown of Ontario’s latest numbers is available in this online story.
Elgin and Oxford
Southwestern Public Health only updates its COVID-19 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so no new information is available for Thursday.
On Wednesday, SWPH reported one new death involving a man in his 70s from St. Thomas. The health unit said his death was not tied to an outbreak, but did not offer any additional information.
The health unit also reported 57 additional lab-confirmed cases on Wednesday.
Six people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, the health unit says, unchanged from the day before. One is in intensive care.
As of Wednesday, there are three active outbreaks in the region at the following institutions:
- Aylmer Retirement Residence, declared March 20 involving three resident cases (previously unreported)
- Chartwell Oxford Gardens in Woodstock, declared March 2 involving 10 resident and three staff cases
- Park Place Retirement Home in Woodstock, declared March 10 involving five resident cases (previously unreported)
As of March 21, 81.2 per cent of people age five and older in the region had received two doses of the vaccine (up from 81.1 per cent on March 16), while 83.7 per cent had at least one dose (unchanged).
Meantime, SWPH has announced plans to move its mass vaccination clinic.
Currently located at Memorial Arena in St. Thomas, the clinic will now move to the health unit’s head office at 1230 Talbot Street in St. Thomas on April 1.
Also starting April 1, vaccinations will only be available on a walk-in basis.
Huron and Perth
No new information from Huron Perth Public Health was available by the time of publication.
HPPH reported no new COVID-19 deaths and zero COVID-19 patients in hospital on Wednesday.
The health unit has reported 64 additional lab-confirmed cases since Monday, bringing the pandemic total to 6,051. At least 95 deaths have been reported.
As of Wednesday, there have been 786 cases in total among health-care workers since the pandemic began, an increase of 17 from Monday.
The following outbreaks remain active as of Wednesday:
- Listowel Memorial Hospital, declared March 12 and involving nine patients and one staff member (unchanged)
- Spruce Lodge long-term care home in Stratford, declared March 12, involving 15 residents and 12 staff (an increase of nine and eight from Monday)
- Goderich Place retirement home in Goderich, declared March 14, involving 11 residents and five staff members (one more resident case from Monday)
- Harbour Hill Retirement Suites in Goderich, declared March 17, involving two resident cases and one staff case (unchanged)
- an unidentified outbreak at a congregate living facility
As of March 14, 84.2 per cent of residents aged five and older have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose while 81.1 per cent have received two.
Third-dose coverage stands at 52.5 per cent of those five and older. It should be noted, however, that those under the age of 12 are not yet eligible for a third dose, and those aged 12 to 17 only became eligible for a booster dose as of Feb. 18.
Sarnia and Lambton
No new information was available, as Lambton Public Health only provides updates on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
LPH reported 32 new cases on Wednesday and one new death.
Bluewater Health reported five of fewer patients were in hospital with a confirmed case of COVID-19, unchanged from a day earlier. Of those, fewer than five are in the ICU, also unchanged.
Only one congregate setting outbreak is active as of Wednesday, located at Vision Nursing Home in Sarnia. It was declared March 7 and involves 11 resident cases and five staff or visitor cases.
Among area residents aged five and older, 83 per cent have had at least one dose of vaccine, 80 per cent have had two doses and 49 per cent have had a third dose. Note that those under 12 are not currently eligible for a third dose.
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