For the ninth straight day, London and Middlesex County have reported a triple-digit increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases.
The Middlesex London Health Unit confirmed 280 new infections on Tuesday. That is up from 241 on Monday and 276 on Sunday. Daily COVID-19 case counts returned to triple-digits for the first time since May on December 17. Since then, they have remained above 100 for all but one day (December 19) and reached an all-time high of 357 on Saturday.
The area’s total case count since the pandemic began stands at 18,225.
The region’s death toll remained at 257 on Tuesday, unchanged from the previous day.
Resolved cases are up by 189 to 15,651. There are currently 2,317 active cases locally, up 86 from Monday. However, the health unit has indicated the number of active cases in the region is likely higher, as demand for lab based PCR testing has exceeded capacity since December 20. That has left many unable to receive a test to confirm they are infected.
There are ongoing outbreaks at nine London-area seniors' facilities, 14 schools, two Western University residences, and three daycare centres.
The London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) currently has 17 inpatients with COVID-19 in its care, up from 15 last Thursday. Seven of those patients are listed in intensive care and five or fewer are in the care of Children’s Hospital. There are currently 104 hospital employees who have tested positive for the virus. Despite the soaring daily case numbers, hospital admissions in the London area have remained relatively stable. The LHSC started the month with 22 COVID-19 patients, nine of whom were listed in the ICU.
As of Saturday, there have been 918,880 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered in the region, which works out to 91.4 per cent of all area residents aged 12 and older having received at least one dose. The percentage of the local population to receive both doses is currently 89. Since eligibility for the shot opened up to kids aged 5 to 11 late last month, 44.8 per cent of children in that age group have received their first dose.
Southwestern Public Health, the health unit for Oxford and Elgin counties, has not provided a COVID-19 case update since last Friday.
Ontario released limited COVID-19 data on Tuesday, but did confirm 8,825 new cases.
The latest daily case count is down slightly from Monday's 9,418, Sunday's 9,826, and Saturday's record 10,412.
Ontario’s total case count since the start of the pandemic now stands at 715,405.
There were seven additional deaths reported, including one in an individual in the 19 and up age group. The latest deaths bring the province's death toll up to 10,168.
Health Minister Christine Elliott tweeted Tuesday that 491 people are in hospital with COVID-19, up from 480 reported on Monday. There are 187 people with the virus in intensive care units in Ontario.
The number of resolved cases rose by 2,481 since Monday.
To date, the province has administered 26,639,237 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, including 144,000 doses which made it into arms on Monday. More than 90 per cent of Ontarians 12 and older have received one shot, while 88 per cent have been given two.
Information on testing volumes, vaccine status, and active cases was not released Tuesday as it is a statutory holiday. The province will resume regular reporting on Wednesday.
