Two elderly women, one of whom has been hospitalized, are among the latest in the London region to test positive for COVID-19.
The Middlesex London Health Unit reported five new cases on Wednesday, bringing the local total since the outbreak began to 19.
The more serious of the latest confirmed cases is in a woman in her 80s who had close contact with someone who was infected with the virus. She is being treated in hospital. A woman in her 70s who had recently travelled to the Philippines has been identified as one of the other cases. She is in self-isolation at home.
Details for the remaining three newly confirmed cases including patient age, gender and transmission are currently listed as "pending."
Dr. Chris Mackie, medical officer of health and CEO of the Middlesex-London Health Unit, tweeted about "promising data" that shows the rate of spread of the virus in Canada appears to be slowing compared to the U.S. He credited social distancing measures being taken by Canadians.
"*IF* this trend continues, then our peak will occur in 2-3 weeks, and the bulk of the pandemic wave will be passed within 6 weeks," Mackie tweeted.
Southwestern Public Health reported its second confirmed case of COVID-19 on Wednesday. An Oxford County man in his 30s tested positive for the virus after coming into close contact with someone outside of the region who has the virus. He was assessed and tested at Woodstock Hospital and is now self-isolating at home.
On Tuesday, it was confirmed the first man in Elgin County to contract the virus was taken to hospital by ambulance after his condition worsened. He remains in the intensive care unit at the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital.
The Ontario Ministry of Health has reported an additional 100 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 throughout the province as of Wednesday morning. Of those cases, 46 are listed as self-isolating, five are in hospital, and details surrounding the remaining 49 are pending.
Ontario has had a total of 688 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, which includes nine deaths and eight recoveries. More than 35,600 people across the province have been tested for COVID-19, with 10,489 of those still under investigation.