A health-care worker performs a nasal swab on a woman. File photo courtesy of © Can Stock Photo / dolgachov.A health-care worker performs a nasal swab on a woman. File photo courtesy of © Can Stock Photo / dolgachov.
London

14 new COVID-19 cases in London-Middlesex

Cases of COVID-19 jumped by double-digits in London and Middlesex on the same day local COVID-19 assessment centres reached testing capacity, one before it even opened for the day.

The Middlesex London Health Unit reported 14 new infections on Friday. That is up from just three on Thursday and marks the second day this week daily new cases exceeded ten. A dozen new infections were recorded on Wednesday.

"This is deeply concerning and a strong reminder that public health guidelines absolutely must be followed," London Mayor Ed Holder tweeted.

The region's total case count now stands at 839 with 689 cases resolved and 57 deaths. There has not been a COVID-19 related deaths in London or Middlesex County since June 12.

Ninety-three cases remain active.

Two more outbreaks of the virus have been declared at local care facilities, bringing the number of outbreaks up to four. Outbreaks are in effect at Meadow Park Care Centre, Peoplecare Oak Crossing, Ashwood Manor Retirement Home, and Country Terrace. An an outbreak declared on September 9 at Chelsey Park Retirement Community is now over, the health unit said on Thursday.

London's two assessment centres at Oakridge Area and Carling Heights Community Centre hit their testing capacity again on Friday. The Carling Heights facility reached capacity one hour before it even opened.  Both centres have been overwhelmed by those seeking COVID-19 tests for the last two weeks. On Thursday, Holder made an urgent appeal to the province to expand pharmacy testing to London. Roughly 60 pharmacies in the GTA, Ottawa, and Huntsville were allowed to begin COVID-19 testing as of Friday.

Southwestern Public Health, the health unit for Oxford and Elgin counties, had no new laboratory confirmed cases for the eighth straight day. However, public health officials are investigating a possible case at Woodingford Lodge in Woodstock. A worker at the long-term care facility may have contracted the virus. As a precautionary measures while the case is investigated, all residents who came into contact with the employee have been isolated.

The two counties have seen a total of 263 cases since the start of the pandemic. There was one more recovery reported Friday to bring total resolved cases to 252. The death toll remains at five with no new deaths since July.

Currently, there are six active cases in the area.

Ontario reported another 409 COVID-19 cases.

It is the second day in a row 409 infections were confirmed in the province. Wednesday was the only day this week numbers dropped below the 400 mark, dipping to 335 new cases.

About half of Friday's new cases came from Toronto. The city logged 204 new infection, while Peel reported 66, and Ottawa had 40.

Sixty-five per cent of the cases were among people under the age of 40.

Ontario’s total case count is now 48,905.

One more person succumbed to the virus over the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll up to 2,837. There were 283 more recoveries, increasing the number of resolved cases in Ontario to 42,169.

The number of infected Ontarians requiring hospitalization is at 87. Of those, 25 are in the intensive care unit and 13 are relying on ventilators to breathe.

In the last 24 hours, more than 41,800 additional COVID-19 tests were conducted in Ontario.

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