COVID-19: 18 new cases in London-Middlesex, 4 each in Elgin-Oxford, Huron-Perth, Lambton – London

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

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Eighteen new COVID-19 cases have been reported in London-Middlesex, local health officials said on Thursday.

The update brings the region’s pandemic case total to 12,300, of which 11,886 have resolved, an increase of 40 from the day before. At least 220 virus-related deaths have been reported during the pandemic, most recently on Wednesday.

The health unit says 194 cases are active in the region.

At least 51 cases and one death have been reported so far this month. At least 134 cases had been reported in the first two days of May, and 248 the first two days of April.

The rolling seven-day case average for London-Middlesex (May 27-June 2) is 24, down from 42 the seven days previous. A month ago (April 26-May 2), the average was 90.

Of the 18 new cases reported, all are from London, health unit data shows.

Seven involve people aged 19 or younger, four are in their 20s, three are in their 30s, one is in their 40s, two are in their 50s, and one is in their 60s.

No known link is listed as the exposure source for 10 cases, while five are due to close contact with a confirmed case, and three are still pending data.

The number of variant cases in the region stands at 3,094, an increase of 19 from the day before.

The B.1.1.7 variant, or Alpha, first identified in the U.K., accounts for the vast majority of them — 3,040. (All 19 of the new variant cases involved Alpha.)

At least 50 cases have been confirmed to involve the P.1 variant, or Gamma, first identified in Brazil, while three have been confirmed to involve the B.1.617 variant, or Delta, first identified in India. (Of those, one has been identified as being the sub-lineage B.1.617.1, and another the sub-lineage B.1.617.2).

Meanwhile, one case has been confirmed to involve the B.1.351 variant, or Beta, first identified in South Africa.

At least 372 other cases were found to have a spike protein mutation consistent with one or more coronavirus variants. An undetermined number are currently under investigation.

Health unit data shows variants accounted for at least 80 per cent of all cases reported in the region during the month of May.

At least half of the cases reported so far this week have involved variants, a tally that is expected to rise as more data comes in.

“The one thing that I think is important to remember, is that coronaviruses are seasonal illnesses, and so part of what you’re seeing now is the same thing that we saw last May/June, with cases really dying off, in part, because of the weather,” said Dr. Chris Mackie, the region’s medical officer of health, during Thursday’s briefing.

“The other aspect is that we will have more waves and cases of COVID if we’re not careful now, and if we don’t get vaccinated over the next few months.”

The government revealed its three-step reopening plan last month. The first phase set to take effect June 14 with looser restrictions on businesses and outdoor activities but schools were absent from the roadmap.

“We see the Stage 1, 2, 3 reopening over the next few months being totally appropriate and safe, and people can keep to those guidelines. We shouldn’t see another wave at least before the fall,” Mackie said.

Asked whether it was appropriate for Stage 1 to begin sooner, as is being mulled by the province, Mackie responded that even though case numbers have fallen significantly over the last month, “it’s actually still a fairly significant amount of disease spread.”

This time last year, the region was reporting between zero and five cases per day, with none involving more contagious variants.

“I certainly don’t think today we are ready for a Step 1 reopening yet, but by the fourteenth, I think we very likely will be,” Mackie said. “Whether we are somewhere between now and then, I think time will tell, and there’s more data that will need to be accumulated in order to make an appropriate judgement there.”

With the province’s stay-at-home order lifted as of Wednesday, health officials are stressing that much of the restrictions previously in place remain.

“Ontario’s #StayAtHome Order has ended, but limits on gatherings, services and business remain in effect,” the health unit tweeted Wednesday. “We can’t stress this enough, please avoid indoor gatherings and continue to follow public health guidance.”

A total of 11,124 cases have been confirmed in London since the pandemic began, while 360 have been in Middlesex Centre.

Elsewhere, 330 cases have been in Strathroy-Caradoc, 154 in Thames Centre, 72 in Lucan Biddulph, 58 in North Middlesex, 54 in Southwest Middlesex, 15 in Adelaide Metcalfe and six in Newbury. At least 127 cases have pending location information.

Hospitalizations

At least 29 COVID-19 patients were listed as being in the care of London Health Sciences Centre on Thursday, two fewer than the day before.

Nine of them are in intensive care, also two fewer.

Fewer than five acute care patients and fewer than five ICU patients are from out of region, and fewer than five staff members are currently positive with COVID-19, all unchanged.

At St. Joseph’s Health Care London, meanwhile, no COVID-19 patients were reported in their care at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Two staff cases are active within SJHCL, down one from a day earlier.

The province reported Thursday that it would end several emergency orders that had been aimed at preserving hospital capacity during the height of the third wave.

The change will allow hospitals to resume non-urgent surgeries that require inpatient and critical care services, and will disallow hospitals from transferring patients to seniors’ facilities without those homes’ consent. In addition, home care and other health-care staff can no longer be redeployed to those homes.

Patients can still be transferred between hospitals without their consent and non-hospital health-care staff can still be redeployed to hospitals.

The orders were imposed in April, when the province’s hospitals were under immense pressure and had to move patients between facilities, redirect staff and cancel non-urgent procedures to ensure they had the capacity to treat severely ill COVID-19 patients.

At least 641 people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 in London-Middlesex during the pandemic, including 110 who have needed intensive care, the health unit says.

Outbreaks

No new institutional outbreaks have been declared.

One remains active at Kensington Village’s retirement facility in its Canterbury area, declared on May 6. It’s unclear how many cases are linked to the outbreak.

At least 851 cases and 109 deaths have been reported during the pandemic at local long-term care and retirement homes.

On Thursday, the province updated its rules around long-term care residents to include physical contact.

Officials said brief hugs can occur safely regardless of resident and visitor immunization status. However, only those fully vaccinated can engage in closer physical contact such as handholding.

Vaccinated residents can also leave homes for day and overnight trips.

The changes take effect June 9.

Meanwhile, a months-long outbreak at the city’s jail remains active. One inmate case was reported active there as of Tuesday.

The outbreak at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre, declared on Jan. 18, has been linked to cases involving at least 62 inmates and 43 staff.

Schools

No new school-related cases have been reported and none are active, the health unit says.

An outbreak declaration, made May 21, is still considered active involving Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School.

On Wednesday, the province announced that schools would not reopen for in-person learning this school year and will continue with remote learning, as has been the case since mid-April.

During the announcement, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he had asked school boards to allow outdoor graduation ceremonies for all grade levels, not just students in grades 8 and 12.

Several school boards have said they need more information from the province before they can commit to hosting such events in a matter of weeks, while the Ontario Principals’ Council called the scheme “impractical and unrealistic.”

“We are being asked to revert and pivot again, to cancel graduation plans already in place and organize outdoor events amid social distancing restrictions,” the group said in a statement.

“…It is unrealistic and disrespectful to Ontario educators to expect such a considerable shift in planning at this point in the school year.”

Schools have been planning virtual ceremonies for weeks or months, the council said, and there’s no time or money to pivot to an outdoor in-person gathering.

The Ontario Public School Board Association has also come out against the plan.

In the local child-care sector, four cases are active involving two facilities.

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Three cases are active that are associated with Simply Kids, which has had an active outbreak declaration since May 12, while one is associated with Kidorable Child Care Centre – Jim Ashton.

At least 106 cases have been reported during the pandemic involving child-care and early-years settings.

In post-secondary, no outbreaks are currently active.

Fanshawe College announced Thursday that students living in residence at the college this fall will be required to be vaccinated with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and will be expected to have a second dose scheduled within the recommended timeframe.

It follows a similar announcement late last week from Western University.

Vaccinations and Testing

The health unit says it will begin booking earlier second doses for people aged 80 and older starting on Monday.

Such bookings began earlier this week for other regions in the province, however local health officials have cited vaccine supply, and a goal of getting as many first shots into the arms of young residents as possible, as reasons for the delay.

“It looks like there may be some announcements at the provincial level about rebooking others earlier, so we’ll look at that announcement when it comes out,” Mackie said.

“At this point, we’re planning to rebook earlier appointments for 80-plus as of Monday, and that’ll be primarily through the website, as it was with booking of first doses.”

Health Minister Christine Elliott told reporters Thursday that concerns over the variant had the province examining the possibility of moving up the second-dose vaccine timeline for all residents, though she did not provide specifics.

Ontario has been administering COVID-19 shots four months apart with some exceptions.

“We’re not through our first doses at this point, and we’re still looking to get additional people booked into first doses,” Mackie said.

“We’re not going to rush to rebook everybody with their second doses earlier until we’re sure we’ve got as many first doses as in arms as we can, or at least people have the opportunity to book those.”

Currently, all residents aged 12 and older are vaccine-eligible, with youth only able to get the Pfizer-BioNTech shot.

Eligible residents are asked to visit the local vaccine booking website or call 226-289-3560 to book an appointment at one of the region’s four vaccination clinics. Online appointments are encouraged.

A number of local pharmacies are also offering the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

More than 282,178 people have gotten at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the London-Middlesex region as of May 29, according to the health unit.

Locally, roughly 60 per cent of people aged 18 and older have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, while four per cent have had two doses as of May 29.

Dr. Mackie said Thursday that roughly 15,000 to 20,000 people aged 12 to 17 have had an appointment booked.

When it comes to AstraZeneca, the province now says that people who received a first dose of the vaccine will have three options for their second dose starting on Friday.

Under new guidance released Thursday morning, AstraZeneca recipients can have the second dose of the same vaccine or receive a dose of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna.

These second dose options will be provided at the recommended 12-week interval.

Those who want their follow-up dose to also be AstraZeneca can book an appointment with the pharmacy or care provider who administered their first.

AstraZeneca recipients opting for an mRNA vaccine can book their second shot at a participating pharmacy where those vaccines are administered.

All provinces had halted the use of AstraZeneca for first doses over concerns of its potential link to a rare but serious blood clotting syndrome known as Vaccine-Induced Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT).

First doses of the vaccine remain paused in Ontario, and hundreds of pharmacies which had been doling out AstraZeneca have since switched to offering Pfizer and Moderna shots.

Meanwhile, those looking to be tested for COVID-19 can still do so in a variety of ways.

The region’s main assessment centres, located at Carling Heights and Oakridge Arena, remain open and operating by appointment.

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.

Ontario

Ontario reported 870 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday, along with 10 more deaths linked to the virus.

Health Minister Christine Elliott said there were 225 new cases in Toronto, 167 in Peel Region and 49 in the Porcupine Health Unit region.

The data was based on nearly 34,300 completed tests.

The Ministry of Health said 729 people are hospitalized with the novel coronavirus, with 546 in intensive care and 370 on a ventilator.

Ontario said that 150,884 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine had been administered since Wednesday’s report for a total of more than 9.4 million doses.

Elgin and Oxford

Four new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Elgin-Oxford.

It brings the region’s pandemic case total to 3,802, of which 3,677 have resolved, an increase of nine from the day before.

At least 82 deaths have been reported during the pandemic, most recently on Wednesday when the health unit reported two deaths that both involved women from Oxford County in their 70s.

At least 43 cases are considered active in the region, including 12 in Tillsonburg and 10 in St. Thomas. Two people are listed as being in hospital, neither in the ICU.

The number of variant cases, and cases that have screened positive for a mutation consistent with a variant, stands at 799.

At least 715 have been the B.1.1.7, or Alpha variant, four have involved the P.1 or Gamma variant, and one has been confirmed to involve the B.1.351 or Beta variant.

At least 79 other cases screened positive for a variant-consistent spike protein mutation and are being investigated.

Last week the province announced it would begin to shorten the interval between first and second doses, starting with people aged 80-plus this week.

In SWPH, health officials say for people in that age group, more information will become available later soon detailing how second doses can be booked earlier.

Certain individuals under 80 have been able to book earlier second doses by phone at 226-289-3560.

People aged 12 and older are eligible to get the shot, with youth able to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Eligible residents are asked to visit the area’s vaccine booking site and are being encouraged to add their names to a same-day vaccination list.

Several pharmacies in the region are also offering Pfizer and Moderna shots. Bookings must be made directly with the pharmacies.

No new school-related cases have been reported and none are active.

No new institutional outbreaks have been declared and none are active.

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

The region’s test positivity rate stood at 2.2 per cent the week of May 23, down from 2.8 the week before.

Huron and Perth

Four new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Huron-Perth.

Two cases were reported in Huron East and one each in Bluewater and North Huron.

It brings the region’s pandemic case total to 1,828, of which 1,727 have resolved, an increase of four from the day before. At least 57 virus-related deaths have been reported, most recently on May 20.

The health unit says at least 44 cases are currently active, with the most, 13, in Huron East. At least two people are currently in hospital with COVID-19.

In an update Wednesday, health unit officials noted that staff observed a number of cases have high-risk close contacts, and that the majority of new cases involve unvaccinated people.

The number of variant cases, and cases that have screened positive for a mutation consistent with a variant, stood at 278 as of Thursday, two more than Wednesday. Twenty-five are active.

At least 153 cases involve the Alpha variant, according to Public Health Ontario, while two involve the Gamma variant. The remaining cases are likely still under genomic analysis.

People aged 80 and older are able to book a shortened-interval second dose in Huron-Perth, the health unit says, adding many in the age group already qualify to get a second dose after receiving their initial shots at least 16 weeks ago.

Certain individuals younger than 80 are currently able to book earlier second doses.

People aged 70 and older will be able to start booking an early interval second dose the week of June 14, and as of June 28, the health unit will follow the province’s ‘first in, first out’ approach for second dose appointments.

Information on how to book first and second doses can be found on the health unit’s website.

Currently, all people aged 12 and older are able to book a first dose of the vaccine, with youth able to get the Pfizer-BioNTech shot.

Several regional pharmacies are also offering the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine as part of a provincial initiative. Bookings must be made with the pharmacies.

More than 73,731 Huron County residents have gotten at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, or roughly 60 per cent of eligible people.

The health unit is urging those who can’t make it to an appointment to formally cancel it rather than just not show up. Cancellations can be made by email at [email protected] or by calling the booking line at 1-833-753-2098 and pressing two.

No new school-related cases have been reported. Six are active, all involving schools under the Avon-Maitland District School Board. None of the cases are due to school exposure.

No institutional outbreaks are currently active. Six outbreaks are active involving unnamed workplaces. No details have been provided.

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

The region’s most recent test positivity rate, from the week of May 23, was 1.8 per cent, up slightly from 1.7 the week before.

Sarnia and Lambton

Four new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Lambton County.

It brings the region’s pandemic case total to 3,503, of which 3,411 have resolved, an increase of eight from the day before. At last 61 virus-related deaths have been reported during the pandemic, most recently on Wednesday.

The health unit says 31 cases are active in Lambton. Bluewater Health reported three COVID-19 patients in their care Thursday.

The region’s variant case count stood at 565 as of Thursday of last week. An updated tally was still not immediately available Thursday due to ongoing network issues at the health unit.

Public Health Ontario data shows 399 cases involve the Alpha variant, while 14 cases have been confirmed to be the Gamma variant. The remaining cases are under genomic sequencing.

The health unit announced Monday that it would be cancelling and rescheduling all previously made second dose appointments to re-prioritize and re-book second doses in succession.

It added that people aged 80-plus who had their first dose on or prior to March 16 are currently able to book a second dose, and will be contacted by email or phone. Those not contacted are asked to call 226-254-8222.

“Based on vaccine supply to the region, LPH will continue to book second dose appointments in increments moving forward, and following the order in which first doses were administered,” the health unit says. “Residents of Lambton County will be notified of their eligibility to book directly (via email/phone).”

Other certain individuals have been able to book earlier second doses and have been contacted by the health unit.

Meanwhile, first doses continue for all people aged 12 and older. Eligible residents can book appointments through the health unit’s website. People with questions can contact the health unit’s call centre at 226-254-8222.

Some pharmacies are continuing to offer the Pfizer or Moderna shots according to the health unit. Residents are asked to book spots with the pharmacies themselves.

The health unit says that more than 77,597 vaccine doses have been administered in Lambton.

The health unit says no outbreaks are currently active in the region.

No information on school-related cases was available. Both of the region’s main school boards have paused public reporting as students continue to learn remotely.

The region’s positivity rate was 1.3 per cent the week of May 23, down from 1.8 per cent a week earlier.

— With files from Gabby Rodrigues and The Canadian Press

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