COVID-19: MLHU reports 7 new cases, confirms 7 more Delta variant cases

Jump to: Hospitalizations – Outbreaks – Vaccinations and testing – Ontario – Elgin and Oxford – Huron and Perth – Sarnia and Lambton

The Middlesex-London Health Unit reported seven new COVID-19 cases and one recovery, though the total case count only rose by five 12,613. The number of total recoveries sits at 12,328.

The number of active cases climbed by four to 59.

Nine more variant cases have been flagged for a total of 3,497. The number of cases involving the Delta variant, in particular, climbed to 32 from 25.

The breakdown of variant cases is as follows:

• 3,361 cases of the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7), first identified in the U.K.
• 96 cases of the Gamma (P.1) variant, first identified in Brazil
• 32 cases of the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant, first identified in India
• 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 are also three cases listed only as B.1.617 and one case listed as B.1.617.3.

A total of 11,414 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in London since the pandemic began, while 360 have been in Middlesex Centre and 334 in Strathroy-Caradoc (a decrease of one).

Further information can be found on the health unit’s Summary of COVID-19 Cases in Middlesex-London page.

Hospitalizations

The London Health Sciences Centre says it is caring for 11 inpatients with COVID-19 as of Thursday, a decrease of one from Tuesday, with fewer than five in the ICU.

Of those, no patients in acute care are from outside of the region and fewer than five in the ICU are from outside of the region. In an effort to protect the privacy of patients, LHSC only provides specific numbers when there are more than five.

Fewer than five staff members currently have COVID-19.

At St. Joseph’s Health Care London, the organization reported no current COVID-19 cases among its patients or staff.

Institutional outbreaks

The MLHU is not reporting any institutional outbreaks, however, there is an outbreak tied to indoor gatherings at Christ Embassy Church at 1472 Dundas St., in London.

As of Monday, six cases were associated with the outbreak, though medical officer of health Dr. Chris Mackie said at the time that the health unit was awaiting “a number of tests of people who were contacts.”

Anyone who attended any indoor gatherings at the church between June 20 and June 30 has been asked to monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 and to get tested if symptoms develop.

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Vaccinations and testing

As of the end of the day on July 3, 76.7 per cent of residents age 12 and older have had at least one dose while 34.8 per cent are fully vaccinated.

More than 500,000 doses of COVID-19 have been administered in the region.

Information on second-dose re-booking eligibility and how to cancel appointments can be found on the health unit’s website.

Information on local pharmacies offering COVID-19 vaccines can be found on the province’s website.

Several pop-up walk-in clinics are scheduled throughout the region. A full list can be found on the health unit’s website.

The health unit is also encouraging anyone with a second dose scheduled for the latter half of August or later to try to reschedule it for July.

Anyone looking to test to see if they have COVID-19 can find information about locations of testing sites on the health unit’s website.

The test positivity rate in the region climbed to 1.3 per cent for the week of June 27, up from 0.7 per cent for the week of June 20.

According to the MLHU, the provincial rate for the week of June 27 was 1.2 per cent.

Ontario

Ontario reported 210 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, bringing the provincial case total to 546,621.

The death toll in the province has risen to 9,228 as four more deaths were reported.

According to Thursday’s report, 52 cases were recorded in Waterloo, 18 in Toronto, 23 in Peel Region, 19 in Hamilton and 17 in Grey Bruce.

All other local public health units reported fewer than 15 new cases in the provincial report.

On Thursday, the province reported that more than half of all adults in Ontario — 51.1 per cent — are now fully vaccinated. First dose adult coverage stands at 78.7 per cent.

Elgin and Oxford

Southwestern Public Health reported no new cases and two more recoveries on Thursday, leaving the total at 3,895 with 3,796 listed as resolved.

The number of virus-related deaths was unchanged at 83. At least 16 cases are currently active.

Per-municipality case counts can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.

Three people are hospitalized with COVID-19, including one person in the ICU.

One additional variant case was been confirmed, bringing that total to 816. Of those, 752 involve the Alpha variant.

There were no active institutional outbreaks reported in the region.

The region’s test positivity rate fell to 0.6 per cent for the week of June 27. Previously, it was reported that the rate for the week of June 20 was 1.2 per cent but current data states that it was actually 0.9 per cent.

SWPH says 63.5 per cent of residents age 12 and older have had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 30.9 per cent are fully vaccinated.

All individuals aged 12 and up are eligible to re-book their second appointment through the online booking portal or by phone at 1-800-922-0096 ext. 9, provided that second-dose appointments are booked at least 28 days after the first dose of an mRNA vaccine was administered.

The health unit is also still encouraging people to add their names to a same-day vaccination list.

Several pharmacies in the region are also continuing to offer COVID-19 vaccine.

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Huron and Perth

Global News is awaiting Huron Perth Public Health’s Thursday data.

On Wednesday, HPPH reported four new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 1,908.

Case counts by municipality can be found on the health unit’s dashboard.

Two more recoveries were recorded, bringing that total to 1,836.

Fifteen cases are currently active. The number of deaths and the number of variant cases were both unchanged, at 57 and 319 respectively.

One person is hospitalized with COVID-19.

There were no active institutional outbreaks reported in the region.

The region’s test positivity rate climbed to 0.9 per cent for the week of June 27, from what was initially reported as 0.6 per cent but has since been updated to 0.7 per cent for the week of June 20.

According to HPPH, 74 per cent of residents had received at least one dose of vaccine, while 41.5 per cent are fully vaccinated as of Wednesday.

Information on vaccine eligibility and booking an appointment can be found on HPPH’s website. Specific information on booking a second dose of vaccine can also be found on the health unit’s website.

Sarnia and Lambton

Lambton Public Health reported three new COVID-19 cases on Thursday and one recovery.

The region’s total case count stands at 3,620 with 16 active cases, 3,542 recoveries and 62 deaths.

According to Bluewater Health, two patients in their care are confirmed to have COVID-19, a decrease of one from Wednesday.

The region’s variant case tally climbed by nine to 658 in total.

An outbreak declared June 25 at Afton Park Place, a long-term care home, continues. It involves fewer than five cases among residents and five cases among staff and caregivers.

The region’s test positivity rate fell to 0.8 per cent for the week of June 27 from 2.0 per cent for the week of June 20.

For the COVID-19 vaccine, residents can book and re-book using the health unit’s registration page. People can also call the vaccine call centre at 226-254-8222, however, call volume is expected to be very high.

Some pharmacies are also continuing to offer Pfizer or Moderna shots.

Lambton Public Health says 73.5 per cent of adults have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 47.8 per cent of adults are fully vaccinated.

—With files from Global News’ Jessica Patton and Matthew Trevithick