COVID-19: MLHU reports 21 new cases Thursday and Friday

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

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The total number of COVID-19 cases reported by the Middlesex-London Health Unit climbed to 12,582 on Friday, an increase of 21 from Wednesday.

The health unit is no longer updating its dashboard on weekends or statutory holidays that it observes.

The health unit recorded 13 cases on Friday and eight on Thursday. No deaths were reported either day.

The number of recoveries climbed to 12,293, an increase of six from Wednesday, while 63 cases are listed as active.

Three more variant of concern cases were confirmed, bringing the total to 3,481.

The breakdown of variant cases is as follows:

• 3,356 cases of the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7), first identified in the U.K.
• 96 cases of the Gamma (P.1) variant, first identified in Brazil
• 19 cases of the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant, first identified in India
• two cases of the Beta (B.1.351) variant, first identified in South Africa
• one case of the Kappa (B.1.617.1) variant, first identified in India
• one case of the Zeta (P.2) variant, first identified in Brazil

There are also two cases listed only as B.1.617 and one case listed as B.1.617.3.

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.

Hospitalizations

At least seven COVID-19 patients are in the care of London Health Sciences Centre, a decrease of two from Wednesday, 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 Friday.

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

On Friday, the MLHU reported an outbreak involving six cases tied to indoor gatherings at Christ Embassy Church at 1472 Dundas Street in London.

The health unit asks anyone who attended any indoor gatherings at the church between June 20 and 30 to monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 and to get tested if symptoms develop.

Meanwhile, 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, and was linked to fewer than five patients and fewer than five staff cases.

Vaccinations and testing

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.

Meanwhile, those looking to get a COVID-19 test have several options.

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The region’s main Carling Heights and Oakridge Arena assessment sites remain open and operating by appointment, though the Oakridge location will be closing in two weeks.

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 fell to 0.7 per cent for the week of June 20, down from 1.2 per cent for the week of June 13.

Ontario

Ontario is reporting 484 total new COVID-19 cases for the past two days, with 200 on Friday and 284 on Thursday, bringing the provincial total to 545,381.

According to Friday’s report, 41 cases were recorded in Waterloo Region, 23 in Toronto, 21 in Peel Region and 18 in Grey Bruce.

On Thursday, 56 cases were recorded in Waterloo Region, 51 in Grey Bruce and 41 in Toronto.

All other local public health units reported fewer than 15 new cases in the provincial report on both Thursday and Friday.

The death toll in the province has risen to 9,196 as 28 more deaths were recorded over the two-day period.

As of 8 p.m. on Thursday, 77.9 per cent of the adult (18-plus) population has had at least one dose  of vaccine, while 42.3 per cent is fully vaccinated.

Elgin and Oxford

Southwestern Public Health’s case count stands at 3,884 as of Friday, an increase of six from Wednesday.

The number of recoveries increased by four from Wednesday to 3,788. The number of deaths remains at 83. At least 13 cases are currently active.

Per-municipality case counts can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.

Two people are currently hospitalized, including one person in the ICU.

The number of variant cases in the region stands at 811, an increase of one from Wednesday. The vast majority, at least 748, involve the Alpha variant.

There are no active institutional outbreaks reported in the region.

The region’s test positivity rate fell to 1.2 per cent for the week of June 20, down from 1.5 per cent for the week of June 13 but still above the 0.9 per cent recorded the week of June 6.

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.

Huron and Perth

Huron-Perth Public Health reported a total of three additional cases on Thursday and Friday, bringing the tally to 1,897.

Case counts by municipality can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.

Of those, 1,830 are listed as recovered, an increase of four from Wednesday. Ten cases are currently active.

The number of deaths is unchanged at 57, as is the number of cases involving a variant of concern, which stands at 318.

Two people are hospitalized with COVID-19, an increase of one from Wednesday.

There are no active outbreaks reported in the region.

The region’s test positivity rate fell to 0.6 per cent for the week of June 20, down from 1.0 per cent for the week of June 13.

According to HPPH, 73.2 per cent of residents had received at least one dose of vaccine, while 34 per cent were fully vaccinated as of Friday, July 2.

Information on vaccine eligibility and booking an appointment can be found on HPPH’s website. Specific information on booking a second dose of vaccine can also be found on the health unit’s website.

Sarnia and Lambton

Lambton Public Health reported five new COVID-19 cases for Thursday and Friday with five recoveries.

The region’s total case count stands at 3,605 with 28 active cases, 3,515 recoveries and 62 deaths.

According to Bluewater Health, two patients in their care are confirmed to have COVID-19 as of Friday.

The region’s variant case tally is 645 as of Friday, an increase of one from Wednesday.

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.

The region’s test positivity rate climbed to 2.0 per cent for the week of June 20, up from 1.8 per cent for the week of June 13.

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 72.8 per cent of adults have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 39.9 per cent of adults are fully vaccinated.

—With files from Global News’ Jessica Patton, Kelly Wang and Matthew Trevithick.