The steady increase of new COVID-19 cases in London and Middlesex County continued on Monday.
The Middlesex London Health Unit reported 45 new infections over the past 24 hours. That is up from 39 on Sunday and 24 on Saturday. Monday's new cases fall just one short of the record high single-day case jump of 46 set last Wednesday.
The region's total case count since the start of the pandemic sits at 1,864.
The ongoing outbreak at the London Health Sciences Centre's (LHSC) University Hospital takes some of the blame for the upward trend of daily COVID-19 cases. To-date, 71 patients and 60 staff members have tested positive for the virus. That is up by one patient and four staff cases since Sunday. A total of 13 deaths have been linked to the outbreak, which began early last month and has spread to seven units.
The LHSC reported it currently has six COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit.
London and Middlesex moved from the yellow-protect to the orange-restrict level of Ontario's COVID-19 response framework as of Monday morning. The shift to orange on the five-tier colour system means tighter restrictions across the region. Those include a cap of 50 people in exercise areas and classes in gyms and sports facilities and a limit of four patrons per table at bars and restaurants, which will also have to halt alcohol sales by 9 p.m. and close by 10 p.m. each night.
COVID-19 cases were identified at three London public schools on Sunday. C.C. Carrothers Public, Westminster Secondary, and Westmount Public are all dealing with positive cases of the virus. For Westminster, it was the second case in less than a week. Close contacts of the infected are being notified and the schools remain open.
There were 19 additional recoveries Monday to bring the total number of resolved cases to 1,482. The death toll is unchanged at 76. Currently, there are 306 active cases in the region.
Southwestern Public Health, the health unit for Elgin and Oxford, recorded nine new infections Monday. That puts the area's total caseload at 640, with 530 resolved and eight deaths. Active cases have risen to 102.
The climbing numbers prompted the health unit to issue an open letter, calling on community members to stop fighting over COVID-19 health measures and start supporting one another.
"We are writing this letter because we believe we need to conserve our energy for the long months ahead, rather than spend it in disagreement," the health unit said in the letter. "As communities and as individuals, we have choices to make. We can choose to meet our neighbours with patience and understanding. We can choose compassion for those who are struggling during this difficult time; we can choose self-compassion if we find ourselves in difficulty."
The letter goes on to urge the public to focus on common goals such as a desire to protect the community.
"At the end of this pandemic – and there will be an end – we will again gather in comfort and in ease, at hockey arenas, and school barbecues, at worship, and at weddings, knowing we did our best to protect and care for the communities that we love," the health unit concludes.
The region covered by Southwestern Public Health has been host to several so-called "freedom rallies" including one in Aylmer that drew more than 2,000 maskless people.
Provincially, it was another record-setting day.
Public health officials said 1,925 new COVID-19 cases were logged on Monday. That is the highest single-day jump to date. The previous record high of 1,924 was recorded just one day earlier.
Of the new cases, 601 were in Toronto, 512 were in Peel, 167 were in York Region, and 133 were in Durham.
The total number of cases in the province has risen to 129,234.
Twenty-six additional deaths linked to the virus were reported across the province, 13 of which were in long-term care homes. The death toll is now 3,798.
The number of resolved cases rose to 109,402 with 1,412 additional recoveries reported.
There are currently 725 COVID-19 infected patients in hospitals across the province, including 213 in the intensive care unit and 121 on ventilators to breathe.
In the last 24 hour period, over 45,200 COVID-19 tests were processed. Ontario's positivity rate is currently at four per cent.
