COVID-19: MLHU reports 4 deaths, LHSC caring for 79 inpatients

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

The Middlesex-London Health Unit reported a total of four deaths and 53 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday.

The deaths involved two women in their 80s, a man in his 80s and a man in his 70s.

London Health Sciences Centre, meanwhile, is caring for 79 inpatients with COVID-19, 17 of whom are in adult critical care.

Hospitalizations

As noted, LHSC is caring for 79 COVID-19 inpatients, with 17 inpatients in adult critical care. Last Tuesday, LHSC was caring for 119 COVID inpatients with 22 in ICUs.

Of the 79, there were nine in Children’s Hospital with five or fewer in pediatric critical care. Last Tuesday, there were five or fewer in Children’s Hospital with zero in pediatric critical care.

LHSC executive VP and chief nursing executive Carol Young-Ritchie noted on Monday that the majority of COVID-19 inpatients in Children’s Hospital were admitted for other reasons and tested positive for COVID-19 in hospital.

Of the 79 patients, 43 are being treated for COVID-19 while 36 others in hospital have incidental COVID-19 infections (meaning they were admitted for another reason).

Among staff, there are 135 cases, down from 141 a week ago.

St. Joseph’s Health Care London reported zero cases among patients or residents in its care and 49 health-care workers with COVID-19. A week ago it reported seven patient or resident cases and 57 cases among health-care workers.

Cases and testing

As mentioned, the MLHU reported four new deaths:

man, 80s, associated with long-term carewoman, 80s, not associated with a long-term care or retirement homewoman, 80s, not associated with a long-term care or retirement homeman, 70s, not associated with a long-term care home

So far in February, 35 deaths have been reported.

The health unit also reported 53 cases on Tuesday, compared to 70 a week ago.

Note that due to changes in eligibility for PCR testing, daily case counts are not considered a fully reliable reflection of COVID-19 activity in the region.

The Middlesex-London Health Unit says individuals who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should consider themselves to be positive for COVID-19 and self-isolate.

The health unit has provided information on what to do if you develop symptoms, test positive on a rapid test or PCR test or have been exposed to someone who has tested positive.

In total, there have been 30,914 confirmed cases since the onset of the pandemic, including 1,299 active cases (a decrease of 82), 29,280 resolved cases (an increase of 126) and 335 deaths (an increase of four).

The test positivity rate for the week of Jan. 30 was 17.8 per cent, down from 18.9 per cent the week of Jan. 23.

Outbreaks

LHSC is updating its outbreak information on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, except in the cases where an outbreak is resolved or declared.

LHSC is reporting the following outbreaks:

University HospitalU4 North East and East Corridors, General Medicine, declared Jan. 25, 16 patient cases and 11 staff casesA9 Inpatients 100 and 200 Corridors, declared Jan. 11, involving 39 patient cases and 13 staff cases

A previously-reported outbreak at UH’s U10 Subacute Medicine and Palliative Care, declared Jan. 15, involving 10 patient cases and five or fewer staff cases, is no longer listed as active.

The MLHU has declared an outbreak at Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital in 1S as of Feb. 2.

Additionally, the MLHU is reporting the following institutional outbreaks:

Babcock Community Care Centre, facility-wide, declared Jan. 31Extendicare, first and second floors, declared Dec. 24Henley Place LTC Residence, Harris, declared Dec. 29Maple View Terrace, third floor, declared Feb. 12Meadow Park Care Centre, Blue Unit, declared Jan. 1Oneida Long Term Care Home, facility-wide, declared Jan. 28Waverley Mansion, facility-wide, declared Feb. 3

Previously-reported outbreaks at Chelsey Park, Queens Village and Village of Glendale Crossing were all declared over as of Feb. 14.

Vaccinations

The MLHU released updated vaccination data on Tuesday, covering up to the end of day Feb. 12.

As of that time, 90.4 per cent of residents aged five and older had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, up from 90.2 per cent the week prior. Two-dose coverage for that cohort sits at 86.5 per cent, up a full percentage point from 85.9 per cent.

The percentage of people aged five and older who have received third doses is 48.5 per cent, up from47.7 per cent the week before. Note that those under 18 are not currently eligible for a third dose, though eligibility is expanding to those 12 to 17 beginning Friday.

First-dose coverage for those aged five to 11 is 59.0 per cent, up from 58.3 per cent.

Data showing the distribution of cases, hospitalizations and ICU admissions since Dec. 21, 2021, by age, based on vaccine status from no doses to three doses can be found on the “vaccination status” tab of the health unit’s Summary of COVID-19 Cases in Middlesex-London page.

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Further information on vaccination in the MLHU’s region, as well as other COVID-19-related information, can be found on the health unit’s website.

Ontario

The province reported 1,550 people in hospital with COVID on Tuesday, with 384 in ICUs, compared to 2,254 hospitalizations and 474 in ICUs a week ago.

Of the 1,550 in hospital with COVID, 54 per cent were admitted because of the virus while the rest were admitted for other reasons but then tested positive. Among those in ICUs, 79.5 per cent were admitted because of COVID.

Ontario also reported 1,593 cases, though that’s considered an underestimate due to testing restrictions. There were also 19 more virus-related deaths reported for a total of 12,120.

Elgin and Oxford

Southwestern Public Health’s COVID-19 cases dashboard is updated only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, barring holidays.

On Monday, SWPH reported 24 hospitalizations with six inpatients in the ICU, compared with 29 hospitalizations with five in the ICU a week ago.

The test positivity rate for the week of Jan. 30 was 14.9 per cent, down from 15.9 per cent the week before.

As for cases, SWPH reported:

10,862 cases (an increase of 104 from Friday with 193 removed due to data cleanup)483 active cases (a decrease of 89 from Friday)10,321 resolved cases (an increase of 282 from Friday; note that SWPH clears all cases after 10 days regardless of outcome)147 total deaths to date (unchanged from Friday)

There are active outbreaks at the following long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals:

Bethany Care Home, Norwich, declared Feb. 9 and involving three resident casesChartwell Aylmer, Aylmer, declared Jan. 2 and involving seven resident cases and 17 staff cases.Cedarview Living Retirement, Woodstock, declared Jan. 13 and involving 74 resident cases and nine staff cases.Metcalfe Gardens Retirement Home, St. Thomas, declared Jan. 13 and involving 27 resident cases, 10 staff cases and one death.Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital, Tillsonburg, declared Jan. 18 and involving 12 patient cases, two staff cases and one death.Maple Manor Nursing Home, Tillsonburg, declared Jan. 18 and involving 49 resident cases and 18 staff cases.Elgin Manor, St. Thomas, declared Jan. 20 and involving 28 resident cases, 20 staff cases and two deathsWoodingford Lodge, Woodstock, declared Jan. 27, involving four resident cases and five staff cases.

A previously reported outbreak at Arches Transitional Bed Program, Woodstock, declared Jan. 10 and involving 18 resident cases, 16 staff cases, and one death, is no longer listed as active.

As of Feb. 9, 79.9 per cent of those aged five and older in the region had received two doses of the vaccine, while 83.3 per cent have had at least one dose.

Further information on where and how to get vaccinated can be found on the health unit’s website.

The health unit encouraged people to join its Same-Day Vaccination List, which offers any leftover doses due to cancellations or no-shows.

All COVID-19 vaccination clinics in St. Thomas, Woodstock and Tillsonburg are currently accepting walk-ins.

There are also upcoming pop-up clinics:

Princeton: Princeton Centennial Hall at 39 Main St. on Feb. 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.Plattsville: Plattsville Lions Hall at 68 Mill St. on Feb. 16 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Huron and Perth

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

On Monday, Huron Perth Public Health reported two people were in hospital with COVID-19. Of those, none were considered active cases.

Last Monday, HPPH reported eight people in hospital with COVID-19, including five with active cases.

For the week of Jan. 30, the test positivity rate was 11.3 per cent, down from 11.5 per cent the week of Jan. 23.

In total, HPPH reported 5,431 total cases (an increase of 38 from Friday) and 91 deaths to date (unchanged).

HPPH reported 623 total cases among health-care workers since March 2020, an increase of 11 from Friday.

There are four active outbreaks reported by HPPH:

Braemar Nursing Home, North Huron, declared Jan. 12 and involving 42 residents and 17 staff cases.Queensway Nursing Home, Bluewater, declared Jan. 27 and involving 34 resident cases and 17 staff cases.South Huron Hospital in South Huron, declared Jan. 27, involving 16 patients and 12 staff members.an outbreak at an unidentified congregate living facility

A previously-reported outbreak at Clinton Public Hospital in Central Huron, declared Feb. 3, involving two patients and two staff, is no longer listed as active.

As of Feb. 14, 84.1 per cent of residents aged five and older have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose while 80.4 per cent are fully vaccinated. Third-dose coverage stands at 51.1 per cent of those five and older, though those under the age of 18 are not yet eligible for a third dose.

Information on how and where to get a vaccine can be found on the health unit’s website.

Sarnia and Lambton

Bluewater Health reported nine patients in hospital with confirmed COVID-19, compared with 17 a week ago. Of those nine, one was in the ICU, compared with four a week ago.

Lambton Public Health is reporting the average ICU occupancy was 67 per cent for the week of Feb. 6, down from 81 the week of Jan. 30.

The test positivity rate for the week of Jan. 30 was 25.7 per cent, up from 21.9 per cent the week before.

On Tuesday, Lambton Public Health reported:

9,492 total cases (an increase of 98 from Monday)148 active cases (a decrease of 68)9,223 resolved cases (an increase of 82)121 deaths to date (an increase of one)

No further details were provided about the death reported on Tuesday.

LPH is reporting four active outbreaks:

North Lambton Lodge long-term care home in Forest, declared Feb. 7 and involving fewer than five resident cases and fewer than five staff cases.Huron House Boys Home Congregate Living in Brights Grove, declared Feb. 5 and involving fewer than five residents and fewer than five staff members.Fiddick’s Nursing Home long-term care home in Petrolia, declared Feb. 3 and involving 23 residents and five staff members.Unidentified workplace, declared Jan. 26 and involving 15 cases (making it the largest workplace outbreak reported by LPH throughout the pandemic).

An outbreak at Watford Quality Care long-term care home in Watford, declared Jan. 5 and involving 20 resident cases and 16 staff cases, was listed as resolved as of Feb. 14.

Among area residents aged five and older, 83 per cent have had at least one dose of vaccine, 79 per cent have had two doses and 48 per cent have had a third dose. Note that those under 18 are not currently eligible for a third dose.

Residents can book and re-book COVID-19 vaccine appointments or find information on vaccine availability at pharmacies using the health unit’s registration page. People can also contact the vaccine call centre at 226-254-8222.

Those who are able to get vaccinated on short notice are encouraged to sign up for Lambton Public Health’s daily Vaccine Standby List.

— with files from Gabby Rodrigues