June 30, 2022 12:50 p.m
The number of deaths related to COVID-19 in the London area has risen by three.
The Middlesex London Health Unit confirmed on Thursday that two men, one in his 40s and another in his 80s, and a woman in her 90s have succumbed to the virus. None of the three are affiliated with a nursing or retirement home, the health unit added. Five COVID-19 deaths have been recorded in London and Middlesex County this week. Two more deaths were added to the official count on Monday. These latest COVID deaths bring the local death toll to 407.
80 new COVID-19 cases have also been logged since Monday. The health entity now only updates its COVID-19 dashboard twice a week, and daily case counts are believed to be an underestimate of community spread since the provincial government restricted eligibility for PCR testing in late December. The total number of on-site cases since March 2020 is now 38,779, according to the health unit.
The number of closed cases is up to 38,120. There are currently 252 known active cases in the region, up from 159 a week ago.
The London Health Sciences Center (LHSC) confirmed on Thursday it has 32 inpatients with the virus in its care, six more than on Monday. It is the first time since May 31 that more than 30 COVID-positive patients have been admitted to the hospital.
Of the 32 hospitalized, 17 are being treated for COVID-19 and 15 for other illnesses, but have also tested positive.
Five or fewer COVID-infected patients are currently listed in the ICU, up from zero on Monday. There have been no patients with the virus in the children’s hospital for a week.
The number of hospital workers who have tested positive for COVID-19 has increased. The hospital network said it had 102 sick staff, up from 25 since Monday.
An outbreak at Victoria Hospital was declared over, leaving three level two outbreaks at University Hospital. Active outbreaks are listed in the U4 Medicine High 200s and 300s Wing, the U10 SAMU and Palliative Care Unit, and the U4 Medicine 100 and Low 200 Wings.
Southwestern Public Health, the health unit for Elgin and Oxford counties, reported 64 more COVID-19 cases this week, raising the local case count to 14,109 since the pandemic began. No other deaths were recorded, leaving the death toll at 169. Resolved cases rose to 13,863 and there are now 77 known active cases across the two counties.
