MIDDLESEX CENTER, ONT. – The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting seven new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, a day after the region announced its first case at a local school.
The new cases bring the total in Middlesex-London to 812, with 685 resolved and 57 deaths (no new) taking the total active cases to 70.
One of the new cases is a Western University student and the other is a Fanshawe College student.
On Monday, the Thames Valley District School Board announced that a pupil at HB Beal Secondary School had tested positive for COVID-19 and announced the launch of a new case-tracking website.
dr MLHU Medical Health Officer Chris Mackie says all affected staff and students have been informed and 10 to 15 people have been asked to self-isolate and get tested.
“Everything we’ve observed suggests that Beal is a safe place for seniors to be and there’s no reason at all to stop going to school,” Mackie said.
Both Mackie and TVDSB Director of Education Mark Fisher visited the school on Tuesday and only praised the way staff and students were handling the situation and the precautions being taken.
Mackie added that there is no evidence that COVID-19 was acquired at the school and possible community sources are being investigated. It is also not to be expected that there will be further cases.
MLHU is now also struggling with a second outbreak in retirement homes.
An outbreak was reported at Ashwood Manor Retirement Home on Monday. There is also an ongoing outbreak on the fourth floor of the Chelsey Park retirement home.
These outbreaks are in addition to the community outbreaks associated with dozens of cases among Western University students.
Still, the daily total remains well below last week’s two-day peak, which added 25 cases in just 48 hours. It was the highest two-day total since mid-April.
Here are the case counts in other surrounding regions based on the latest publicly available data:
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Elgin-Oxford – no new, nine active, 263 cases, 249 resolved, five deaths
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Sarnia-Lambton – no new, two active, 344 cases, 317 solved, 25 deaths
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Haldimand-Norfolk – no new, 12 active, 489 total cases, 445 resolved, 32 deaths
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Huron-Perth – no new, one active, 127 total, 121 resolved, five deaths
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Grey-Bruce – no new, four active, 133 total, 129 solved, no fatalities
Ontario reported 478 new cases on Tuesday, the highest number since May 2, when 511 were reported.
