For the first time this week, London-Middlesex has seen a slight jump in the number of new COVID-19 cases.
The Middlesex London Health Unit reported on Wednesday six more people have tested positive for the virus. Between Sunday and Tuesday, only four new cases popped up -- zero Sunday, and two each Monday and Tuesday. Saturday was the last time the city and county saw a surge of cases with 12 infections recorded.
A local long-term care home worker was among the half dozen newly confirmed cases on Wednesday and the new case comes a day after a retirement home employee tested positive.
Since the start of the pandemic, the region has had a total of 717 COVID-19 cases.
There was one more local recovery, bringing the number of resolved cases to 626.
The death toll remains unchanged at 57, with no additional deaths reported in more than two months.
The region's uptick of new cases came on the same day the City of London issued a reminder to both residents and business owners that face coverings remain mandatory in all enclosed public spaces. Since the Mandatory Face Coverings By-law came into effect on July 21, by-law officers have visited over 1,500 businesses and spoken to approximately 80 individuals who were not wearing a face covering.
Up until this point, officers have been taking an education enforcement approach to the by-law, but that could change with the approval of a set $500 fine for violators. The fine can be issued to customers or employees caught without a mask or to businesses not displaying the proper signage.
"We’ve been very fortunate to see a high level of compliance during our visits to businesses across the city and in speaking with Londoners,” Orest Katolyk, the city's chief by-law enforcement officer, said in a statement. “We hope to see the continued compliance. With the approval of a set fine, officers have the discretion to now also issue fines when necessary."
Those with a medical condition and children under 12 remain exempt from wearing a face covering and individuals are not required to show proof of exemption.
Elgin and Oxford counties saw a slight drop in their number of new cases on Wednesday. Southwestern Public Health, the health unit for the region, said four more people have become infected. That brings their case count to 239. Two more people who were previously diagnosed with COVID-19 in the area has since recovered to increase their resolved cases to 197. There have only been five deaths in the two counties with no new deaths reported since July 3.
Wednesday marked the second day in a row Ontario has recorded more than 100 new COVID-19 cases.
Public health officials reported 102 additional cases, one day after the case count went up by 125.
"A 0.2 per cent increase as the province processed nearly 26,000 tests. Locally, 30 of the province’s 34 public health units are reporting five or fewer cases, with 17 of them reporting no new cases," Health Minister Christine Elliott tweeted.
The total number of lab-confirmed infections in the province now sits at 40,972.
The death toll actually decreased by one on Wednesday to 2,792. The change can be attributed to updated results from additional information received by health units, public health officials said.
The number of recoveries across Ontario is up by 89 to 37,215.
