The Middlesex London Health Unit reported more than 100 new COVID-19 cases for a sixth consecutive day.
There were 102 new infections confirmed by laboratory testing in the region on Monday. While the number of new cases remained in the triple-digits, it is down from 126 on Sunday and a record high 161 on Saturday.
Since the start of the pandemic, there has been a total of 8,492 cases in the region. There has not been a COVID-19 related death since April 3, leaving the death toll unchanged at 190.
The number of resolved cases went up by 113 over the past 24 hours to 7,108. Currently, there are 1,194 active cases in London and Middlesex County.
Outbreaks remain at six area schools, including East Carling Public. That outbreak was declared on Sunday after two people tested positive for the virus. The health unit declares an outbreak when there is evidence of person-to-person transmission within a school. Other outbreaks continue at one London daycare centre (Kidorable)and a healthcare facility (Parkwood Institute Mental Health Care building).
Western University and one of its affiliates are dealing with outbreaks in eight residences involving dozens of students. The affected dormitories are Perth Hall, Essex Hall, Delaware Hall, Elgin Hall, Medway-Sydenham Hall, Ontario Hall, and Saugeen-Maitland Hall and King’s University College's King’s Commons.
The London Health Sciences Centre has 48 patients with COVID-19 in its care, up from 31 on Friday. Of those, 18 are listed in the intensive care unit. There are also eight staff members who have tested positive for the virus.
As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, adults 60 and older in London, St. Thomas, Woodstock, Middlesex, Oxford and Elgin counties will be able to book an appointment to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The Middlesex London Health Unit and Southwestern Public Health announced the expanded eligibility to those born in 1961 and earlier on Monday, just one week after the shot was made available to the 65-plus crowd. Appointments can be booked online at www.covidvaccinelm.ca or by phone at 226-289-3560. Public health officials recommend the online booking option, as the phone line has previously experienced technical difficulties due to high call volume.
According to London's Mayor Ed Holder, 107,926 doses of the vaccine have been administered locally since December.
"My sincerest thanks to all of those who are working with such dedication and kindness at our vaccination clinics, and to all of those who are rolling up their sleeves," Holder said in a tweet.
New cases in Elgin and Oxford counties rose by 65 on Monday. However, that number included the cases from Saturday and Sunday, as Southwestern Public Health no longer updates its COVID-19 dashboard over the weekend. The latest infections brings the two counties total case count to 3,025. The death toll went up by one to 70. There are outbreaks at two seniors’ facilities in St. Thomas – Caressant Care Bonnie Place and Metcalfe Gardens. The health unit said the total number of resolved cases is 2,791, leaving 164 known active cases in the two counties.
Provincially, the number of new cases surged above 4,400 for a second day in a row.
Public health officials logged 4,401 new infections across the province Monday, down slightly from 4,456 on Sunday.
Regions with the most new cases were Toronto with 1,282, Peel with 772, York Region with 564, Ottawa with 339 and Durham with 224.
According to the province’s daily epidemiologic summary, Ontario identified 2,153 cases of the B.1.1.7. variant over the past 24 hours for a total of 16,540. Six more cases of the P.1 variant were found for a total of 140, while just three new cases of the B.1.351 variant were identified increasing the total to 81.
The province’s total case count since the start of the pandemic now sits at 391,009.
Fifteen deaths were reported over the past 24 hours, to increase the province’s death toll to 7,567.
At hospitals in Ontario, there are 1,646 patients with COVID-19. That includes, an all time high 619 in intensive care and 408 on ventilators.
The number of resolved cases rose to 348,684. There are currently 34,758 known active cases of the virus in Ontario.
In the last 24 hour period, 47,929 COVID-19 tests were processed. Ontario’s current positivity rate has risen to 9.5 per cent.
The province has administered 3,214,465 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine since Sunday night. More than 330,000 people in Ontario have received their second dose of the vaccine to be considered fully inoculated.