COVID-19: Middlesex-London Health Unit reports 23 new cases Wednesday | Globalnews.ca

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The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) added 23 more COVID-19 cases while the number of recoveries increased by 21 on Wednesday.

The total case count increased by 24, however, to 13,012 with 124 active cases, 12,656 recoveries and 232 total deaths.

The most recent death was recorded on Saturday and involved a woman in her 60s who was not associated with a long-term care or retirement home.

Of all the cases reported since July 7, the health unit says 61.46 per cent involved people who were entirely unvaccinated, 22.92 were among the partially vaccinated, 13.28 per cent involved people who were fully vaccinated and 2.34 per cent involved people who were not yet protected by vaccination (i.e. became infected less than 14 days after receiving their first dose of vaccine).

The number of confirmed variant of concern cases has increased by one (involving the Delta variant) to 3,682.

The breakdown of known variant cases is as follows:

• 3,381 cases of the Alpha variant
• 173 cases of the Delta variant
• 122 cases of the Gamma variant
• two cases of the Beta variant
• one case of the Kappa variant
• one case of the Zeta variant

There are also two cases listed using the old code numbers, one described as B.1.617 and another listed as B.1.617.3.

A total of 11,764 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in London since the pandemic began, while 383 have been in Middlesex Centre and 337 in Strathroy-Caradoc.

Further information can be found on the health unit’s summary of COVID-19 cases in Middlesex-London.

Hospitalizations

The London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) says it is caring for seven inpatients with COVID-19, a decrease of one from Tuesday, with five or fewer of those patients in the intensive care unit.

In an effort to protect the privacy of patients, LHSC only provides specific numbers when there are more than five patients.

Fewer than five LHSC employees have tested positive for COVID-19.

At St. Joseph’s Health Care London, the organization is reporting one case involving a patient or resident at Parkwood Institute’s Mental Health Care Building. It is not associated with an outbreak.

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Institutional outbreaks

The MLHU declared an outbreak on the first floor of Grand Wood Park retirement home on Aug. 13.

An outbreak tied to a downtown London restaurant first reported August 15 is ongoing. The health unit says there are a total of 15 cases among patrons of Delilah’s at 209 John Street.

While there is currently no outbreak associated with Kidzone Day Care Centre, the health unit says there is one confirmed case involving the child care centre.

As well, there is one confirmed case at Kilworth Children’s Centre’s summer camp school age program day camp in Komoka and one case at Simply Kids Childcare summer day camp in London. Neither involves outbreaks.

Vaccinations and testing

Following an announcement from the province, the MLHU has resumed administering vaccinations for 11-year-olds turning 12 by the end of this year effective Wednesday.

According to the most recent vaccine data from the MLHU, as of the end of day August 14, 82 per cent of residents 12 and older have had at least one dose and 72.6 per cent are fully vaccinated.

According to the MLHU, since July 7, all deaths reported in the region were among people who were entirely unvaccinated.

Only one fully vaccinated individual has been hospitalized since that time, accounting for 7.14 per cent of all hospitalizations.

Of all cases reported since July 7, only 13.28 per cent (or 51 of 384 cases) involved people who were fully vaccinated.

On the health unit’s website, residents can find information on pop-up clinics, mass vaccination clinics and pharmacies; guidance for anyone vaccinated outside of the province or country; transportation support for those in need; and more.

Anyone looking to be tested for COVID-19 can find information about locations of testing sites on the health unit’s website.

The test positivity rate in the region was 1.3 per cent for the week of Aug. 1, down from 1.4 per cent for the week of July 25.

Ontario

Ontario reported 485 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday and three deaths. Of those, 309 were among unvaccinated people, 41 among the partially vaccinated, 98 among people who were fully vaccinated and 37 in people with unknown vaccination status.

According to Wednesday’s report, 108 cases were recorded in Toronto, 75 in Windsor-Essex, 59 in Peel Region, 36 in Hamilton and 27 in Middlesex-London. All other health units reported fewer than 25 cases.

Of the entire population age 12 and older, 74 per cent is fully immunized and 81.7 per cent has had at least one dose of vaccine.

Elgin and Oxford

Southwestern Public Health reported two cases and five recoveries on Wednesday for a total of 4,030 cases with 24 active, 3,922 recoveries and 84 deaths.

Of the 24 active cases, eight are in St. Thomas, five are in Woodstock and four are in Aylmer. Per-municipality case counts can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.

One person is currently hospitalized with COVID-19, according to SWPH.

The number of variant of concern cases is unchanged at 940, with 769 of those listed as the Alpha variant, 118 the Delta and 53 the Beta.

There are no active institutional outbreaks reported in the region.

The region’s test positivity rate was 1.4 per cent for the week of Aug. 1, unchanged from the week of July 25.

As of Tuesday, SWPH has expanded access to COVID-19 vaccines to all children who turn 12 in 2021.

As of Aug. 17, SWPH says 80.6 per cent of its residents aged 12 and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 71.6 per cent have had two doses.

Information on where to get vaccinated, vaccine eligibility and booking and cancelling appointments can be found on the health unit’s website.

People can also add their names on a weekly basis to the health unit’s same-day vaccination list, also known as the Cancellation List.

Select pharmacies in the region are also continuing to offer COVID-19 vaccine shots.

Sarnia and Lambton

Lambton Public Health reported four COVID-19 cases on Wednesday for a total of 3,660 cases with 17 active, 3,575 recoveries and 68 deaths.

The most recent death, involving someone in their 70s, was reported on July 26.

The number of confirmed variant of concern cases is unchanged at 690.

According to Bluewater Health, there is currently one patient hospitalized with COVID-19, a decrease from two on Tuesday.

Lambton Public Health is not reporting any active outbreaks in the region.

The region’s test positivity rate was 0.34 per cent for the week of Aug. 1, down from 0.82 per cent for the week of July 25.

As of Wednesday, 76.5 per cent of residents 12 and older have had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine while 70.0 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Those who are able to get vaccinated on short notice are encouraged to sign up for Lambton Public Health’s daily Vaccine Standby List.

Residents can book and re-book COVID-19 vaccine appointments using the health unit’s registration page. People can also call the vaccine call centre at 226-254-8222.

Information on pharmacies offering COVID-19 vaccines can be found on the province’s website.

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Huron and Perth

Huron Perth Public Health reported three cases and four recoveries on Wednesday, for a total of 1,983 cases with 17 active, 1,909 recoveries, and 57 deaths.

The number of cases confirmed to involve a variant of concern was unchanged at 369.

Of the 17 active cases, nine are in North Perth and four are in Stratford. Case counts by municipality can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.

No one is listed as hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Wednesday.

There is one active community outbreak, but HPPH has not provided any details about it. The health unit says it only discloses details of non-institutional outbreaks “if contact tracing cannot be completed and we determine there may be a risk to the public.”

There are now two confirmed COVID-19 cases involving a health-care worker, according to HPPH.

The region’s test positivity rate was 1.1 per cent for the week of Aug. 1, up from 0.3 per cent for the week of July 25.

HPPH’s vaccine dashboard showed that as of Monday, 79.0 per cent of residents age 12 and older have had at least one dose while 71.3 per cent are fully vaccinated.

HPPH is providing “more options to make it easier for residents to get vaccinated, including walk-ins, evening hours, pop-up locations and a drive-thru clinic.” Further information can be found on the health unit’s website.

Information on pharmacies offering COVID-19 vaccines can be found on the province’s website.

— with files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues