A man in his 30s is Elgin County's first confirmed case of COVID-19.
Southwestern Public Health reported the case on Monday. The man contracted the virus after coming into close contact with someone outside of the region who was infected. He was assessed and tested at the London Health Sciences Centre and is currently recovering at home in self-isolation.
“This does not change our protocols around containment of the COVID-19 virus in our area,” Dr. Joyce Lock, medical officer of health for Southwestern Public Health, said in a statement. “We are following up with any contacts of the individual and ensuring the public is aware and protected from the spread of this virus."
The case is the first to be confirmed within Southwestern Public Health's jurisdiction, which includes Oxford County, Elgin County, and the City of St. Thomas. A Woodstock Hospital worker tested positive for the virus last week, prompting a no visitor policy at the medical facility. However, the woman in her 40s resides in Brant County. She remains in self-isolation.
Lock is reminding the community the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to practice physical distancing of at least two metres between yourself and others, wash your hands with soap and water often, frequently clear and disinfect high-touch surfaces like doorknobs, and stay home if feeling ill.
While spread of the virus remains low in Oxford and Elgin counties, the London region recorded its 12th confirmed case over the weekend. A man in his 50s, who had recently travelled to the UK, was diagnosed with the virus, the Middlesex London Health Unit reported on Saturday.