COVID-19: MLHU reports 13 cases, SWPH adds 12 cases and 1 death

Jump to: Hospitalizations – Outbreaks – Schools – Vaccinations and testing – Ontario – Elgin and Oxford – Huron and Perth – Sarnia and Lambton

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The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) reported 13 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, though the total case count increased by 15.

In total, there have been 14,440 cases, of which 128 are active (an increase of four), 14,067 are recovered (an increase of 11) and 245 people have died (unchanged).

The most recent death was reported Oct. 21 and involved a man in his 70s who was not associated with a long-term care or retirement home and who was fully vaccinated but eligible for a third dose due to a suppressed immune system.

Of the 128 active cases, 44 involve kids 11 or under, a cohort that is not yet eligible for vaccination. The rate of active cases among that age group is 68.3 per 100,000 population.

The next highest rate of active cases involves those aged 12 to 17, at 27.2 cases per 100,000 population (or nine active cases).

Since Sept. 12, the MLHU says all of the variant of concern cases in the region have been the Delta variant except for one case in which they were unable to generate sequencing. Total counts by the type of variant of concern can be found on the health unit’s summary of COVID-19 cases in Middlesex-London page and clicking the “Case Status” tab.

Hospitalizations

London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) was caring for five inpatients with COVID-19 as of Wednesday.

There were five or fewer inpatients in adult critical care or the intensive care unit.

There were five or fewer inpatients with COVID-19 in Children’s Hospital with five or fewer in pediatric critical care.

Five or fewer staff have currently tested positive for COVID-19.

St. Joseph’s Health Care London (SJHCL) reported two non-outbreak cases involving health-care workers.

Outbreaks

The MLHU is not reporting any active outbreaks in the region involving long-term care homes, retirement homes or hospitals.

The following schools are experiencing outbreaks:

• Our Lady of the Pillar Academy, declared Oct. 18
• Clara Brenton Public School, declared Oct. 23
• Covenant Christian School, declared Oct. 23
• St. Nicholas Senior Catholic School, declared Oct. 24

Schools

The following schools have active cases associated with them, according to the MLHU:

• Ashley Oaks Public School (two cases)
• Byron Southwood Public School (one case)
• Caradoc Public School (one case)
• Clara Brenton Public School (two cases)
• Clarke Road Secondary School (two cases)
• Covenant Christian School (seven cases)
• John P. Robarts Public School (one case)
• Kensal Park Public School (two cases)
• Lester B. Pearson School for the Arts (one case)
• Mary Wright Public School (one case)
• Masonville Public School (one case)
• Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School (two cases)
  
• Mountsfield Public School (one case)
• Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School (one case)
• Our Lady of the Pillar Academy (two cases)
• Providence Reformed Collegiate (one case)
• Rick Hansen Public School (two cases)
• St. Nicholas Senior Catholic School (three cases)
• Wilberforce Public School (two cases)
  

There is only one active case associated with child-care or early years centre, at Kidventures in London.

The health unit said at least 176 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

As of end of day Oct. 23, 84.9 per cent of eligible residents were fully vaccinated while 88.8 per cent have had at least one dose.

When it comes to COVID-19 cases, MLHU data shows most cases involve individuals who have not been vaccinated, even though they make up a smaller proportion of the population.

Since Sept. 15, unvaccinated individuals have accounted for 61.32 per cent of all cases (or 382 of 623 cases) and 69.23 per cent of all hospitalizations (18 of 26).

The rest of the cases involved individuals who were fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated or not yet protected by vaccination.

Of the eight COVID-19-related deaths reported in the last six weeks, three involved people who were unvaccinated, two involved individuals who were fully vaccinated, two involved people who were partially vaccinated and one involved someone who was not yet protected by vaccination.

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 1.1 per cent for the week of Oct. 10, down from 1.7 per cent for the week of Oct. 3.

Ontario

Ontario reported 321 new cases Wednesday, of which 158 involved unvaccinated people, 12 were partially vaccinated, 118 were fully vaccinated and 33 involved individuals with unknown vaccination status.

According to Wednesday’s report, 66 cases were recorded in Toronto, 33 in York Region, 27 each in Ottawa and Sudbury, 17 each in Halton Region and Windsor Essex, 16 each in Peel Region and Middlesex-London and 15 in Niagara Region. The province’s daily case counts do not always align with counts posted by individual public health units.

All other health units have fewer than 15 cases.

Ten more deaths were reported but one occurred over a month ago.

Of those eligible, 84.1 per cent are fully immunized.

Elgin and Oxford

On Wednesday, Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) reported:

• 4,635 total cases (an increase of 12)
• 87 active cases (an increase of three)
• 4,457 resolved cases (an increase of eight)
• 91 deaths to date (an increase of one)
• 1,448 variant of concern cases, with 775 Alpha, 619 Delta and 54 Beta or Gamma

SWPH said the death reported Wednesday involved a woman in her 70s from Oxford County.

Of the 87 active cases in the region, 36 were in Elgin County (including 17 in Aylmer and eight in St. Thomas) and 51 were in Oxford County (including 20 in Woodstock, nine in Ingersoll and seven in Tillsonburg).

Three people are hospitalized with COVID-19 with two cases in the ICU. There are no active institutional outbreaks as of Tuesday.

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 3.4 per cent for the week of Oct. 10, up from 2.9 per cent for the week of Oct. 3.

On Oct. 26, 82.5 per cent of those aged 12 and older in the region were fully vaccinated while 86.0 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 Wednesday, Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) reported:

• 2,315 total cases (an increase of six)
• 25 active cases (an increase of five)
• 2,223 recoveries (an increase of one)
• 67 deaths to date (unchanged)

Among the 25 active cases, 18 are in Perth East. Full case counts by municipality can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.

There were two patients hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Wednesday and there were three active cases involving health-care workers.

HPPH is reporting one outbreak, though there were no long-term care home, retirement home or hospital outbreaks as of Wednesday.

The outbreak involves Huron Christian School in Clinton and was declared Oct. 8. HPPH says it involves seven student cases.

A previously reported workplace outbreak is no longer listed as active.

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.

The region’s test positivity rate was 2.3 per cent for the week of Oct. 3, down from 2.6 per cent the week of Sept. 26. The data for the week of Oct. 10 has not yet been provided.

HPPH’s vaccine dashboard showed that as of Oct. 24, 81.0 per cent of those aged 12 and older were fully vaccinated while 84.7 per cent have had at least one dose.

Information on how and where to get a vaccine can be found on the health unit’s website.

Sarnia and Lambton

On Wednesday, Lambton Public Health (LPH) reported:

• 4,158 total cases (an increase of three)
• 55 active cases (a decrease of 11)
• 4,033 resolved cases (an increase of 14)
• 70 deaths to date (unchanged)
  

LPH reported a total of 604 variant of concern cases, unchanged from Monday. Of those, 439 have been Alpha, 147 have been Delta and 18 have been Gamma.

Four COVID-19 patients were in the care of Bluewater Health as of Wednesday.

LPH is reporting three active outbreaks on Wednesday, all in schools:

• Queen Elizabeth II Public School Petrolia, declared Oct. 22 and involving fewer than five cases
• Cathcart Boulevard Public School, declared Oct. 14 and involving fewer than five cases
• Gregory A. Hogan Catholic School, declared Oct. 14 and involving fewer than five cases

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 for the week of Oct. 10 was 5.2 per cent, up from 3.6 per cent the week prior.

Among area residents aged 12 and older, 79.8 per cent are fully vaccinated and 83.3 per cent have had at least one 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 call 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