COVID-19: Middlesex-London Health Unit reports 5 cases | Globalnews.ca

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The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) reported five more COVID-19 cases and seven recoveries on Wednesday.

However, the total case count increased by six to 12,884 with 70 active, 12,583 recoveries and 231 deaths.

The most recent deaths were reported July 30, involving a man in his 50s and a man in his 60s.

Of all the cases reported since June 30, the health unit says 65.8 per cent involved people who were entirely unvaccinated while 7.82 per cent involved people who were fully vaccinated.

The number of confirmed variant of concern cases is unchanged at 3,661.

The breakdown of known variant cases is as follows:

• 3,381 cases of the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7), first identified in the U.K.
• 154 cases of the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant, first identified in India
• 120 cases of the Gamma (P.1) variant, first identified in Brazil
• two cases of the Beta (B.1.351) variant, first identified in South Africa
• one case of the Kappa (B.1.617.1) variant, first identified in India
• one case of the Zeta (P.2) variant, first identified in Brazil

There is also one case listed only as B.1.617 and one case listed as B.1.617.3.

A total of 11,643 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in London since the pandemic began, while 382 have been in Middlesex Centre and 334 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 says it is caring for six 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.

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

At St. Joseph’s Health Care London, the organization is reporting no cases involving patients, residents or health-care workers.

Institutional outbreaks

The MLHU says an outbreak declared July 30 at Pond Mills Children’s Centre is ongoing. The health unit says is currently one case associated with the child care centre.

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Vaccinations and testing

Among residents age 12 and older, 81.4 per cent have had at least one dose of vaccine while 69.7 per cent are fully vaccinated.

According to the MLHU, all deaths reported in the region since June 30 involved people who were entirely unvaccinated.

Most hospitalizations involved people who were unvaccinated, not yet protected from vaccination (infection occurred less than 14 days after first dose), or partially vaccinated (infection occurred more than 14 days after first dose but less than 14 days after second dose).

However, one case, or 6.67 per cent of hospitalizations since June 30, involved someone who was fully vaccinated.

Of all cases reported since June 30, 7.82 per cent (or 24 cases) involve 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 1.4 per cent for the week of July 25, the most recent data available, up from 1.0 per cent for the week of July 18.

Ontario

Ontario reported 324 COVID-19 cases and three deaths on Wednesday.

According to Wednesday’s report, 72 cases were recorded in Toronto, 41 in Hamilton, 31 in York Region, 30 in Peel Region, 22 in Windsor-Essex, 23 in Waterloo, 17 in Halton Region and 14 in Durham.

All other public health units reported 10 or fewer cases.

The province says of the 324 cases reported Wednesday, 234 were unvaccinated people, 32 were partially vaccinated people and 58 were fully vaccinated people.

Among those 12 and older, 72.23 per cent are fully immunized while 81.14 per cent have had at least one dose.

Elgin and Oxford

Southwestern Public Health added seven cases to its tally on Wednesday and five recoveries, for a total of 4,002 cases with 32 active, 3,886 recoveries and 84 deaths.

Of the 32 active cases, 12 are in St. Thomas and 11 are in Woodstock. Per-municipality case counts can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.

No one is currently hospitalized with COVID-19, according to SWPH.

The number of variant of concern cases climbed by seven to 922, with 766 of those listed as the Alpha variant, 104 the Delta (an increase of six), and 52 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 July 25, up from 0.5 per cent for the week of July 18.

As of Aug. 8, SWPH says 79.7 per cent of its residents aged 12 and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 67.7 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.

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Huron and Perth

Global News is awaiting Wednesday’s COVID-19 case data from Huron Perth Public Health.

On Tuesday, HPPH reported two cases and two recoveries for a total of 1,959 with 15 active cases, 1,887 recoveries and 57 deaths.

The number of cases confirmed to involve a variant of concern remained at 363.

Of the 15 active cases, nine were in North Perth. Case counts by municipality can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.

No one was listed as hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Tuesday and there are no active outbreaks reported in the region.

There was one confirmed COVID-19 case involving a health-care worker, according to HPPH.

The region’s test positivity rate was 0.3 per cent for the week of July 25, down from 0.9 per cent for the week of July 18.

HPPH’s vaccine dashboard showed that as of Wednesay, 79.0 per cent of those aged 12 and older have had at least one vaccine dose, while 70.7 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.

Sarnia and Lambton

Lambton Public Health reported one COVID-19 case on Wednesday, for a total of 3,644 cases with five active, 3,571 resolved 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 increased remains at 689.

According to Bluewater Health, there is currently one patient hospitalized with COVID-19.

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

The region’s test positivity rate was 0.82 per cent for the week of July 25, up from 0.36 per cent for the week of July 18.

Among those 12 and older, LPH says 76.4 per cent have had at least one dose while 69.5 per cent are fully vaccinated as of Wednesday.

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.

— with files from Global News’ Jessica Patton