MIDDLESEX CENTER, ONT. – The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) reported 47 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, a sharp drop from weekend values.
103 new cases were reported on Saturday and 89 on Sunday.
A total of 10,623 cases have now been recorded in the region, of which 9,508 have been resolved and 913 active cases remained.
The number of variant cases has now risen to 1,619, with most of the cases being variant B.1.1.7 from the UK. Another 274 cases are mutation-positive.
The new death, a man in his eighties not associated with long-term care or a retirement home, brings the total deaths to 202.
For the week ending April 24, the latest data available, the weekly percent positivity for Middlesex-London was 6.8 percent, compared with 9.2 percent for Ontario.
Active outbreaks are underway at three schools and two daycare centers, while only one residence at Western University – Perth Hall – is still in outbreak
There are 94 inpatients at the London Health Sciences Center (LHSC) who are COVID-19 positive, 35 of them in intensive care. Of the transfers outside the region, nine patients are in acute care and 23 in the intensive care unit.
The LHSC’s pathology and laboratory medicine team can now look for worrying variants, the hospital announced on Monday.
Dr. Mike Kadour (PhD), Chief Laboratory Officer at LHSC, said in a statement, “It helps identify where and at what rate the variants are spreading, which allows the province and local health authorities to adjust measures and respond accordingly.”
All COVID-19 positive samples in southwestern Ontario will now be tested for variants and the information will be reported to the affected public health unit. This does not affect how people receive their personal test results.
Here are the last available numbers of other local health authorities:
-
Elgin-Oxford – 44 new (weekend total), 140 active, 3,450 total, 3,234 resolved, 76 deaths
-
Haldimand-Norfolk – 10 new, 293 active, 2,335 total, 1,996 resolved, 41 deaths
-
Huron-Perth – five new, 29 active, 1,584 total, 1,502 resolved, 53 deaths, 107 variants
-
Sarnia-Lambton – three new, 73 active, 3,262 total, 3,133 resolved, 56 deaths, 400 variants
-
Gray-Bruce – three new, 56 active, 1,209 total, 1,148 resolved, five deaths, 282 variants
Fewer than 3,500 new infections were reported across Ontario, but the positivity rate increased for a second day.
