Jump to: Hospitalizations – Outbreaks – Vaccinations and testing – Ontario – Elgin and Oxford – Huron and Perth – Sarnia and Lambton
The Middlesex-London Health Unit reported 10 new COVID-19 cases and two recoveries on Wednesday.
However, the total case count increased by 11 to 12,561. Of those, 12,287 are listed as resolved and 226 deaths have been recorded in total.
Currently, at least 48 cases are listed as active.
The number of cases involving a variant of concern stands at 3,478, an increase of five from Tuesday.
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The health unit says the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7), which was first identified in the U.K., has accounted for nearly all of them — 3,356 cases.
The Gamma variant (P.1), which was first identified in Brazil, accounts for 96 cases. One case has also been confirmed to involve the Zeta (P.2) variant — another lineage first identified in Brazil in October 2020.
Twenty cases have been confirmed to involve the B.1.617 variant, first identified in India. Nineteen are listed as being the Delta sub-lineage (B.1.617.2) and one the Kappa sub-lineage (B.1.617.1).
Two cases have been confirmed to involve the Beta variant (B.1.351), first identified in South Africa.
A total of 11,366 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in London since the pandemic began, while 360 have been in Middlesex Centre.
Further information can be found on the health unit’s Summary of COVID-19 Cases in Middlesex-London page.
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The MLHU also announced Wednesday morning that, going forward, it will not be updating its dashboard on weekends or statutory holidays observed by the health unit.
As a result, the dashboard will not be updated on Thursday, July 1.
The health unit adds that when the dashboard is updated on Mondays it will include a breakdown by day of cases reported on Saturday and Sunday.
While the health unit will no longer be updating the dashboard seven days a week, it says it will provide urgent updates when necessary.
Hospitalizations
At least nine COVID-19 patients are in the care of London Health Sciences Centre, unchanged from Tuesday, with fewer than five people in the intensive care unit.
No patients in acute care and fewer than five in the ICU are from outside of the region, the organization says. LHSC only provides specific numbers when there are more than five to protect the privacy of patients.
Zero staff members at LHSC were positive for COVID-19 as of Wednesday.
At St. Joseph’s Health Care London, the organization reported no COVID-19 cases among its patients or staff as of June 24, the most recent data available.
Institutional outbreaks
There are currently no active institutional outbreaks listed.
An outbreak at LHSC’s University Hospital in 8TU Transplant Unit declared on June 13 is listed as resolved on June 29.
The outbreak was believed to be linked to the Gamma variant, though full sequencing was still in process as of Monday.
The outbreak was linked to fewer than five patients and fewer than five staff cases.
Vaccinations and testing
As of Monday, eligibility for shortened second-dose intervals is now available to everyone 12 and older, provided that appointments are booked at least 28 days after the first dose was administered.
Information on second-dose re-booking eligibility and how to cancel appointments can be found on the health unit’s website.
Information on local pharmacies offering COVID-19 vaccines can be found on the province’s website.
One-day pop-up community clinics continue this week at select schools in the city and county. Locations, dates and times can be found on the Global News website.
As of June 26, the most recent data available, the MLHU reports 75.3 per cent of residents age 12 and older have received one dose, while 23.4 per cent are fully vaccinated.
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Meanwhile, those looking to get a COVID-19 test have several options.
The region’s main assessment centres, located at Carling Heights and Oakridge Arena, remain open and operating by appointment.
People can also be tested at MyHealth Testing Centre, at certain pharmacies and — if a student or staff member — at Fanshawe College and Western University.
The test positivity rate in the region stands at 1.2 per cent for the week of June 13, the most recent data available.
Ontario
Ontario is reporting 184 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, marking the first time the case count is below 200 since Sept. 10, 2020, when 170 new cases were reported.
The provincial case total now stands at 544,897 as the province, with the exception of Waterloo Region, enters Step 2 in the reopening plan.
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According to Wednesday’s report, 46 cases were recorded in Waterloo Region, 19 in Grey Bruce, 17 each in Toronto and Hamilton and 16 in Peel Region.
All other local public health units reported fewer than 15 new cases in the provincial report.
The death toll in the province has risen to 9,168 as 14 more deaths were recorded.
Elgin and Oxford
Southwestern Public Health’s case tally is unchanged from Tuesday, but four recoveries were recorded Wednesday.
The total case count for the region stands at 3,878 with 3,784 listed as resolved, 83 total deaths and 11 active cases.
Per-municipality case counts can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.
Two people are currently hospitalized, including one person in the ICU, a decrease of one from Tuesday.
The number of variant cases in the region stands at 810. The vast majority, at least 747, involve the Alpha variant.
There are no active outbreaks reported in the region.
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All individuals age 12 and older are eligible to re-book their second appointment through the online booking portal or by phone at 1-800-922-0096 ext. 9, provided that second-dose appointments are booked at least 28 days after the first dose of an mRNA vaccine was administered.
The health unit is also still encouraging people to add their names to a same-day vaccination list.
Several pharmacies in the region are also continuing to offer Pfizer and Moderna shots.
The region’s test positivity rate increased to 1.5 per cent for the week of June 13, up from 0.9 per cent for the week of June 6.
Huron and Perth
Global News is awaiting Wednesday’s data from Huron Perth Public Health and will update this section after it is made available.
In the interim, HPPH reported one additional case on Tuesday, bringing the regional total to 1,891.
The number of recoveries was unchanged from Monday at 1,825 while the number of deaths was unchanged at 57. There were at least nine active cases.
Case counts by municipality can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.
One person was in hospital with COVID-19.
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The total number of variant cases and cases that have screened positive for a mutation consistent with a variant climbed by six to 317.
According to HPPH, 93,063 of its residents have received at least one dose of vaccine, while 36,836 people are fully vaccinated, or 72.9 per cent and 28.8 per cent, respectively.
As of noon on Monday, June 28, anyone age 18 or older is now eligible to re-book their second appointment, provided that second-dose appointments are booked at least 28 days after the first dose of Moderna or Pfizer or eight weeks after a first dose of AstraZeneca.
There were no active outbreaks reported in the region as of Tuesday.
The region’s test positivity rate fell to 1.0 per cent for the week of June 13, down from 1.2 per cent the week of June 6.
Sarnia and Lambton
Lambton Public Health reported zero new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday and 10 recoveries.
The region’s total case count stands at 3,600 with 28 active cases, 3,510 recoveries and 62 deaths.
According to Bluewater Health, two patients in their care are confirmed to have COVID-19 as of Wednesday.
The region’s variant case tally is 644, up two from Tuesday.
An outbreak declared June 25 at Afton Park Place, a long-term care home, continues. It involves fewer than five cases among residents and fewer than five cases among staff and caregivers.
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For the COVID-19 vaccine, residents can book and re-book using the health unit’s registration page. People can also call the vaccine call centre at 226-254-8222, however, call volume is expected to be very high.
Some pharmacies are also continuing to offer Pfizer or Moderna shots.
Lambton Public Health says 72.6 per cent of adults have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 37.8 per cent of adults are fully vaccinated.
The region’s test positivity rate is 1.8 per cent for the week of June 13, the latest available data.
—With files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues, Kelly Wang and Matthew Trevithick.
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