COVID-19: MLHU reports 6 more deaths, LHSC caring for 163 COVID 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 six deaths and 180 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday.

The deaths involved five men and one woman ranging in age from their 50s to their 80s. Half were unvaccinated and the other half had had either two or three doses of vaccine.

Meanwhile, the London Health Sciences Centre reported 163 COVID-19 inpatients on Wednesday, up from 161 reported a week ago.

As noted, LHSC is caring for 163 COVID-19 inpatients, up from 161 last Wednesday but down from the record-high 166 reported last Tuesday and Thursday.

Of those, 20 are in adult critical care, compared with 24 a week ago.

Five or fewer of the 163 are in Children’s Hospital, with zero in pediatric critical care. Last Wednesday, five or fewer were in Children’s Hospital, with five or fewer in pediatric critical care.

Of the 163 patients, 102 are being treated for COVID-19 while 61 others in hospital have incidental COVID-19 infections (meaning they were admitted for another reason). Last Wednesday, those figures were 87 and 74, respectively.

Among staff, there are 192 cases, down from 311 a week ago.

There are several outbreaks at LHSC at St. Joseph’s Health Care London. Further information can be found in the Outbreaks section, below.

St. Joseph’s Health Care London reported 21 cases among patients or residents in its care as of Tuesday and 82 health-care workers with COVID-19, compared with 58 patient/resident cases and 111 staff cases a week ago.

Among the 21 patient/resident cases, nine are at Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care, five are at Parkwood Institute Main Building and seven are at Parkwood Institute Mental Health Care Building.

The MLHU reported six deaths on Wednesday:

As for cases, the MLHU reported 180 cases Wednesday, compared with 230 last Wednesday. 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 28,194 confirmed cases since the onset of the pandemic, including 2,087 active cases (a decrease of 129), 25,813 resolved cases (an increase of 301) and 294 deaths (an increase of six).

The test positivity rate for the week of Jan. 16 was 21.3 per cent, down from 22.4 per cent the week of Jan. 9.

LHSC is reporting the following outbreaks:

St. Joseph’s Health Care London is reporting the following outbreaks:

A previous outbreak at Parkwood Institute Main Building’s 4BE is no longer listed as active.

Additionally, the MLHU is reporting the following institutional outbreaks:

Note that school closures and school absentee rates can be found on the province’s website.

As of the end of day Jan. 22, 89.6 per cent of residents five and older in the region have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, up from 89.1 per cent as of Jan. 15.

Two-dose coverage for that cohort sits at 83.7 per cent, up from 83.2 per cent the week prior.

The percentage of people age five and older who’ve received third doses climbed to 43.2 per cent, up from 38.5 per cent a week prior. Note that those under 18 are not currently eligible for a third dose.

First-dose coverage for those aged five to 11 stands at 56.3 per cent, up from 54.1 per cent.

Health unit data shows that since Dec. 15, 33.04 per cent of hospitalized cases have involved people who were unvaccinated. Note that unvaccinated residents make up only 10.4 per cent of the region’s five-and-older population as of Jan. 22.

According to the MLHU, there have been 36 deaths within the last six weeks. Of those, 27 involved fully vaccinated individuals and nine involved unvaccinated individuals.

On the health unit’s website, residents can find information on pop-up clinics, mass vaccination clinics and pharmacies, as well as guidance for anyone vaccinated outside of the province or country, transportation support for those in need and more.

Ontario is reporting 4,016 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Wednesday (an increase of eight from Tuesday) with 608 in intensive care units (a decrease of 18).

Of the 4,016 people in hospital with COVID-19, 56 per cent of them were admitted because of the virus. Of the 608 people in ICUs with the virus, around 83 per cent were admitted because of the virus. The rest were admitted for other reasons but tested positive.

The province also reported 5,368 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, though that is an underestimate of the true widespread transmission of the virus due to recent testing restrictions.

Ninety-two more deaths were also reported, 89 of which occurred in the last three weeks. Three deaths occurred over a month ago.

Southwestern Public Health reported 29 hospitalizations on Wednesday, down from 48 a week ago. Ten are in the ICU, compared with eight a week ago.

The test positivity rate for the week of Jan. 16 was 17.7 per cent, up from a revised 16.8 per cent the week prior.

As for cases, SWPH is reporting:

The most recent deaths were reported on Tuesday and involved two men and two women in their 80s or 90s from both Elgin and Oxford counties.

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

A previously reported outbreak at Woodingford Lodge, Ingersoll, declared Jan. 12 and involving three staff cases, is no longer listed as active.

As of Jan. 24, 77.6 per cent of those aged five and older in the region had received two doses of the vaccine, while 82.6 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.

On Wednesday, Huron Perth Public Health reported seven people were in hospital with COVID-19, compared with eight a week ago.

Of those, six are considered to be active cases, compared with four last Wednesday.

For the week of Jan. 16, the test positivity rate was 11.7 per cent, up from 10 per cent the week prior.

In total, HPPH reported 4,895 total cases (an increase of 40) and 80 deaths to date unchanged).

The most recent death was reported Tuesday. No details were provided.

HPPH reported 506 total cases among health-care workers since March 2020, up from 503 the day before, for an increase of three.

There are six active outbreaks reported by HPPH, including at the following long-term care or retirement homes:

A previous outbreak at Knollcrest Lodge, Perth East, declared Jan. 12 and one resident case and involving nine staff cases, is no longer listed as active.

HPPH is reporting one outbreak at a congregate living setting. No further details were provided.

As of Jan. 24, 84 per cent of residents aged five and older have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose while 79.4 per cent are fully vaccinated. Third-dose coverage stands at 48.2 per cent of those five and older, though those under the age of 18 are not eligible for a third dose.

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

Bluewater Health reported 39 patients in hospital with confirmed COVID-19, compared with 53 a week ago. Of those 39, six are in the ICU, compared with 10 a week ago.

Lambton Public Health is reporting the average ICU occupancy was at 83 per cent for the week of Jan. 16, up from 78 per cent for the week of Jan. 9.

The test positivity rate for the week of  Jan. 16 was 30.8 per cent, down from 31.8 per cent the week of Jan. 9.

On Wednesday, Lambton Public Health reported:

No information was provided about the three deaths reported Wednesday.

LPH reported 14 active outbreaks as of Wednesday, including at the following congregate living facilities:

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

There are outbreaks at a hospital and jail. The outbreak at Sarnia Jail in Sarnia was declared Jan. 8 and involves 38 inmates and six staff members. An outbreak at Bluewater Health in Sarnia declared Jan. 7 involves 17 patients and 11 staff members.

There are three outbreaks in unidentified workplaces, one declared Jan. 18 and involving six cases, one declared Jan. 17 and involving four cases and one declared Jan. 11 involving six cases.

Meanwhile, the following outbreaks were declared over as of Jan. 25:

Among area residents aged five and older, 82 per cent have had at least one dose of vaccine, 78 per cent have had two doses and 43 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

by 980 CFPL