The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting 71 new COVID-19 cases and four new deaths Monday after a record-setting weekend.
The new cases and deaths bring the region’s total to 2,543 cases, 2,022 resolved and 91 deaths, leaving 430 active cases,
On Saturday, Middlesex-London set a new single-day record with 87 cases, topping the previous record of 66 cases set the day before. An additional 65 cases were reported Sunday. In total, 152 new cases were reported on the weekend.
Of the four deaths, a man and woman in their 80s were associated with a long-term care home. Of two others, a man in his 60s and another in his 80s, one is associated with the outbreak at University Hospital.
There are ongoing outbreaks at five area seniors’ facilities including: Chelsey Park, Country Terrace, Dearness Home, McCormick Home and McGarrell Place.
In addition, outbreaks continue at the London Health Sciences Centre’s (LHSC) University Hospital and Victoria Hospital.
As of Monday, six units at University Hospital remained in outbreak, after a new outbreak was declared Saturday in U7 Clinical Neurosciences. Outbreaks in five units have been resolved.
The outbreaks at University Hospital have so far affected 79 patients and 76 staff, and there have been 20 deaths associated with it.
At Victoria Hospital, outbreaks continue in two units, and while fewer than five patient and five staff cases are involved, there have been two deaths associated with the outbreaks.
As of Monday, LHSC is reporting a total of 17 active patient cases and 32 active staff cases at both hospitals.
On a positive note, LHSC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Adam Dukelow says the first doses of the vaccine have arrived in London and the first inoculations are expected to take place by Christmas Eve.
MLHU Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Alex Summers adds, “It will be a scarce resource for us here locally for the first little while, and will be prioritized as dictated by the province for staff in long-term care homes and other congregate settings that are either in outbreak, or care for seniors.”
Meanwhile in the region covered by Southwestern Public Health (Elgin and Oxford counties) an outbreak was declared at Elgin Manor Long-Term Care Home on Monday after a a resident tested positive, and a third staff case was reported at Terrace Lodge, which declared an outbreak over the weekend.
Here is where the cases stand in the region based on the most recent publicly available data:
Elgin-Oxford – 18 new, 158 active, 935 total, 766 resolved, 11 deaths
Sarnia-Lambton – two new, 66 active, 523 total, 429 resolved, 28 deaths
Haldimand-Norfolk – 13 new, 72 active, 800 total, 690 resolved, 33 deaths
Grey-Bruce – six new, 31 active, 436 total, 405 resolved, no deaths
Huron-Perth – 18 new, 50 active, 531 total, 461 resolved, 20 deaths
An outbreak at Stratford General Hospital has been declared over by the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance. The outbreak, declared Dec. 3, affected a total of seven staff but no patients.
As a result the Medicine Unit has been reopened for admissions and transfers.
