COVID-19: LHSC has 89 COVID patients, MLHU adds 4 deaths over the weekend

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 257 COVID-19 cases from Saturday to Monday.

The deaths involved three individuals in their 80s and 90s and one in their 50s.

LHSC, meanwhile, is caring for 89 inpatients with COVID-19, 17 of whom are in adult critical care.

Hospitalizations

As noted, LHSC is caring for 89 COVID-19 inpatients, with 17 inpatients in adult critical care. Last Monday, LHSC was caring for 119 COVID-19 inpatients, with 25 in adult critical care.

Of the 89, there were 10 in Children’s Hospital with five or fewer in pediatric critical care. Last Monday, there were five or fewer in Children’s Hospital with five or fewer in pediatric critical care.

LHSC executive VP and chief nursing executive Carol Young-Ritchie noted that while 10 COVID inpatients in Children’s Hospital seem high, the majority were admitted for other reasons and tested positive for COVID-19 in hospital.

Of the 89 patients, 48 are being treated for COVID-19 while 41 others in hospital have incidental COVID-19 infections (meaning they were admitted for another reason).

Among staff, there are 136 cases, down from 147 a week ago.

St. Joseph’s Health Care London reported five cases among patients or residents in its care and 69 health-care workers with COVID-19. A week ago it reported six patient or resident cases and 51 cases among health-care workers.

All five patient cases are at Parkwood Institute Main Building.

Cases and testing

As mentioned, the MLHU reported four new deaths. Three deaths were reported on Saturday and one on Sunday.

Of those deaths, three were individuals in their 80s and 90s who had been vaccinated and one was a man in his 50s who was not vaccinated.

So far in February, 31 deaths have been reported.

The health unit also reported 64 cases on Monday, 80 on Sunday and 113 on Saturday. Last Monday, the MLHU reported two deaths over the weekend and 105 cases on Monday.

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 30,866 confirmed cases since the onset of the pandemic, including 1,381 active cases (a decrease of 27), 29,154 resolved cases (an increase of 286) and 331 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 casesU10 Subacute Medicine and Palliative Care, declared Jan. 15, involving 10 patient cases and five or fewer staff casesA9 Inpatients 100 and 200 Corridors, declared Jan. 11, involving 39 patient cases and 13 staff cases

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. 31Chelsey Park, fourth floor, declared Jan. 18Extendicare, first, second and third floor, 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. 28Queens Village, lower level and second floor, declared Jan. 25; facility-wide declared Jan. 28Village of Glendale Crossing, facility-wide, declared Dec. 25Waverley Mansion, facility-wide, declared Feb. 3

Previously-reported outbreaks at Chartwell Riverside Retirement Residence, declared Jan. 21, and Dearness Home, declared Feb. 3, were listed as over as of Feb. 11 and 12, respectively.

Vaccinations

The province said it will expand eligibility for third doses to those aged 12 to 17 beginning Friday and the MLHU confirmed Monday afternoon that it will follow that same timeline.

The health unit is offering the choice of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at all of its clinics as part of efforts to increase vaccination availability and uptake.

As of Feb. 5, 90.2 per cent of residents aged five and older had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, up from 89.9 per cent the week prior. Two-dose coverage for that cohort sits at 85.9 per cent, up a full percentage point from 84.9 per cent.

The percentage of people aged five and older who have received third doses is 47.7 per cent, up from 46.1 per cent the week before. Note that those under 18 are not currently eligible for a third dose.

First-dose coverage for those aged five to 11 is 58.3 per cent, up from 57.3 per cent.

Data showing the distribution of cases, hospitalizations and ICU admissions since Dec. 23, 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 1,369 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Monday, with 394 in ICUs. Last Monday, there were 2,155 hospitalizations with 486 in ICU.

The province also reported 1,765 new cases, but the figure is considered an underestimate due to testing restrictions.

There were also eight more virus-related deaths reported on Monday, which occurred over the past month, bringing the total since the pandemic began to 12,101.

Elgin and Oxford

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

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:

Vienna: Edson Vienna Museum at 6209 Plank Rd. on Feb. 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.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

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 10 patients in hospital with confirmed COVID-19, compared with 19 a week ago. Of those 10, one was in the ICU, compared with four a week ago.

Lambton Public Health is reporting the average ICU occupancy was 81 per cent for the week of Jan. 30, up from 67 per cent the week of Jan. 23.

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 Monday, Lambton Public Health reported:

9,394 total cases (an increase of 83 from Friday)216 active cases (a decrease of 27 from Friday)9,141 resolved cases (an increase of 110 from Friday)120 deaths to date (unchanged)

The most recent two deaths were reported on Friday. No further details were provided.

LPH is reporting five 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.Watford Quality Care long-term care home in Watford, declared Jan. 5 and involving 20 resident cases and 16 staff cases.Unidentified workplace, declared Jan. 26 and involving 15 cases (making it the largest workplace outbreak reported by LPH throughout the pandemic).

A previously-reported outbreak at Trillium Villa long-term care home in Sarnia, declared Jan. 3 and involving 60 residents and 42 staff/caregivers, was listed as over as of Feb. 11.

Among area residents aged five and older, 82 per cent have had at least one dose of vaccine, 79 per cent have had two doses and 47 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