COVID-19: LHSC reports 21 patients in adult ICU, MLHU reports 4 deaths since Friday

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

In its first update since Friday, the Middlesex-London Health Unit reported four deaths over the weekend as well as 1,124 cases from Saturday through to Monday.

Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions is still climbing in Middlesex-London as the Omicron wave continues.

The London Health Sciences Centre is now providing additional data on the number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 and the number hospitalized for another reason but who also are confirmed to have COVID-19.

Hospitalizations

As of Monday, LHSC is caring for 89 inpatients with COVID-19, up from 78 on Friday. Of those, 21 are in adult critical care, up from 12 on Friday.

Of those, five or fewer are in Children’s Hospital and five or fewer in pediatric critical care.

Of the 89 patients, 68 are being treated for COVID-19 while 21 are being treated with COVID-19.

Among staff, there are 434 cases of COVID-19, a decrease of four from Friday.

There are currently active outbreaks at University Hospital in 7IP clinical neurosciences and at Victoria Hospital’s B7-200 adult psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU).

The outbreak at UH involves 12 patient cases and five or fewer confirmed cases among staff with another 20 potential staff cases. The outbreak at Victoria Hospital involves five or fewer patient cases and five or fewer confirmed cases among staff with another nine potential staff cases.

St. Joseph’s Health Care London is reporting 70 cases among health-care workers, none of which are outbreak-related.

Among patients or residents, there are 19 outbreak-related cases at Parkwood Institute Main Building and six outbreak-related cases at Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care.

St. Joseph’s is currently reporting outbreaks in SM1 and MV5 at Mount Hope and in 3KE3AE, 4BE, 2Perth, GRU and MSK at Parkwood Institute Main Building.

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Cases and testing

The MLHU reported 223 cases on Monday, 425 on Sunday and 476 on Saturday.

The health unit also reported two deaths on Sunday and two deaths on Saturday.

The deaths reported Sunday involved a woman in her 90s and a woman in her 70s who both had received three doses of vaccine and were both associated with long-term care.

The deaths reported Saturday involved a man in his 90s who was associated with long-term care and had received three doses of vaccine as well as a woman in her 70s with no association to long-term care and who had not been vaccinated.

Note that due to changes in eligibility for PCR testing, daily case counts are no longer considered a fully reliable reflection of COVID-19 activity in the region.

In total, there have been 24,300 confirmed cases since the onset of the pandemic, including 4,496 active cases (an increase of 55 from Friday), 19,541 resolved cases (an increase of 1,091 from Friday) and 263 deaths (an increase of four from Friday).

The test positivity rate for the week of Dec. 26, 2021, the most recent data available, reached 28.3 per cent in Middlesex-London, up from 15.5 per cent the week of Dec. 19 and 6.9 per cent the week of Dec. 12.

Outbreaks

As of Monday, outbreaks are active at the following long-term care homes, retirement homes or hospitals:

• Arbor Trace Alzheimer’s Special Care Centre, facility-wide, declared Jan. 4
• Babcock Community Care Centre, facility-wide, declared Dec. 31
• Chartwell London, Magnolia and Pinebrook areas, declared Dec. 18
• Chartwell Parkhill, Countryside Unit, declared Jan. 1
• Country Terrace, Nottinghill Unit, declared Dec. 28
• Dearness Home, in 5E, 5W, 4E, Oakdale and 2W, declared Dec. 29
• Dorchester Terrace, facility-wide, declared Jan. 6
• Earls Court Village, first and third floors, declared Jan. 2
• Elmwood Place, facility-wide, declared Dec. 27
• Extendicare, second and third floors, declared Dec. 24
• Henley Place LTC Residence, in Medway, Victoria and Fanshawe units, declared Dec. 29
• Highview Residence – Chapin House, facility-wide, declared Jan. 7
• Kensington Village, first and second floors, declared Jan. 4
• Kensington Village Retirement, Highbury area, declared Jan. 4
• LHSC – University Hospital, 7IP Neurosciences, declared Jan. 1
• LHSC – Victoria Hospital, PICU, declared Dec. 31
• McCormick Home, Evergreen unit, declared Dec. 14
• McGarrell Place, facility-wide, declared Jan. 1
• Meadow Park Care Centre, facility-wide, declared Jan. 1
• Middlesex Terrace, third floor, declared Dec. 26
• Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care, SM1, MV5 and MV1, declared Dec. 25
• Oakcrossing Retirement Living, facility-wide, declared Jan. 4
• Parkwood Institute Main Building, 2 Perth, declared Jan. 5
• Parkwood Institute Main Building, 3 Kent/Essex, declared Dec. 31
• Parkwood Institute Main Building, 3A-East, declared Dec. 23
• Parkwood Institute Main Building, 4 Bruce Elgin, declared Jan. 3
• Parkwood Institute Main Building, 4AE/4AN, declared Jan. 9
• Parkwood Institute Main Building, 5AN and 5AE, declared Jan. 9
• Sisters of St. Joseph, care centre, declared Dec. 24
• Strathmere Lodge, Parkview Place and Bear Creek, declared Jan. 6
• Village of Glendale Crossing, facility-wide, Lambeth, declared Dec. 25
• Westmount Gardens, Daisy Unit, declared Jan. 3

There is also an outbreak at Peoplecare Oak Crossing, in White Pine and Red Oak, declared Dec. 31 but the illness is only described as “respiratory unknown.”

A previous outbreak on the second floor of Longworth Retirement Residence, declared Dec. 25, was listed as over as of Jan. 9.

There are no active outbreaks at elementary or secondary schools, child-care or early years centres or post-secondary institutions in the MLHU’s jurisdiction as of Friday.

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Vaccinations

The Middlesex-London Health Unit says individuals with 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.

Health unit data shows that since Nov. 29, 40 per cent of hospitalized cases have involved people who were unvaccinated and 56.93 per cent involved fully vaccinated individuals in that same time frame. The rest involve those who were partially vaccinated. Note that unvaccinated residents make up only 12 per cent of the region’s five-and-older population as of Jan. 1.

As of Jan. 1, 88 per cent of those aged five and older have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 82.3 per cent are fully vaccinated. Those figures are up from 87.6 per cent and 82.1 per cent, respectively, as of Dec. 25.

As for boosters, 25.4 per cent of people aged five and older have had a third dose as of Jan. 1. Note that those under 18 are not currently eligible for a third dose.

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

Ontario reported 2,467 people in hospital wards with COVID-19 (up by 48 from the previous day) with 438 patients in intensive care units (up by 26).

Last Monday, there were 1,232 hospitalizations with 248 in ICUs.

The province reported 12 deaths as well as 9,706 new COVID cases on Monday after reporting 11,959 new infections on Sunday and 13,362 reported on Saturday. However, due to recent testing eligibility changes the province warns the counts are an underestimate of the true spread of the virus in the community.

Further information, including the vaccination status of hospitalized individuals, can be found in this Global News story.

Elgin and Oxford

Southwestern Public Health reported two deaths over the weekend, involving a woman in her 70 and a woman in her 60s, both from Woodstock.

SWPH reported 22 hospitalizations Monday, up from 17 on Friday, with seven cases in the ICU, up from three on Friday.

The test positivity rate was 24.8 per cent during the week of Dec. 26, the most recent data available, up from 11.3 per cent the week of Dec. 19 and 6.8 per cent the week of Dec. 12.

As for cases, SWPH is reporting:

• 8,544 cases (an increase of 387 from Friday, with two cases removed due to data cleanup)
• 1459 active cases (a decrease of 84 cases from Friday)
• 6,966 resolved cases (an increase of 467 from Friday; note that SWPH clears all cases after 10 days regardless of outcome)
• 119 deaths (an increase of two from Friday)
  

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

• Valleyview Nursing Home, St. Thomas, declared Dec. 23 and involving 14 resident cases and 19 staff cases
• Woodingford Lodge, Woodstock, declared Dec. 28 and involving eightresident cases, 11 staff cases and two cases under investigation
• Chartwell Oxford Gardens, Woodstock, declared Dec. 30 and involving 11 resident cases and three staff cases
• Caressant Care Bonnie Place Retirement Home, St. Thomas, declared Dec. 30 and involving 12 resident cases, two staff cases and one case under investigation
• Caressant Care Bonnie Place Nursing Home, St. Thomas, declared Dec. 30 and involving three resident case and six staff cases
• Elgin Manor, St. Thomas, declared Dec. 31 and involving four resident cases and two staff cases
• Beattie Manor Retirement Residence, Wardsville, declared Dec. 31 and involving two resident cases
• Extendicare, Port Stanley, declared Jan. 2 and involving six resident cases and seven staff cases
• Secord Trails, Ingersoll, declared Jan. 2 and involving 29 resident cases, five staff cases and three cases under investigation
• Chartwell Aylmer, Aylmer, declared Jan. 2 and involving three resident cases, five staff cases and one case under investigation
• Alexandra Hospital, Ingersoll, declared Jan. 3 and involving nine resident cases
• Caressant Care Nursing Home – Woodstock, declared Jan. 3 and involving one resident case and seven staff cases
• Maples Nursing Home – Tavistock, declared Jan. 7, involving four staff cases and one case under investigation
• St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital – St. Thomas, declared Jan. 7, involving one resident case and two staff cases
• Tillsonburg Retirement Residence – Tillsonburg, declared Dec. 29 and involving one resident case

There are currently no active outbreaks at local schools. More information on school cases can be found on the websites of the Thames Valley District School Board and the London District Catholic School Board.

As of Jan. 6, 76.5 per cent of those aged five and older in the region had received two doses of the vaccine, while 81.5 per cent have had at least one dose.

A walk-in vaccination clinic will be held on Jan. 13 in Straffordville from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Straffordville Community Centre at 56169 Heritage Line.

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.

Huron and Perth

On Monday, Huron Perth Public Health reported four people were in hospital with COVID-19, down from six on Friday.

Of those, one was still considered to be an active case, down from five on Friday.

The number of health-care workers with active COVID-19 infections climbed to 59, up from 27 on Friday.

For the week of Dec. 26, the test positivity rate was 21.2 per cent, up from 9.6 per cent the week of Dec. 19 and 3.8 per cent the week of Dec. 12.

In total, HPPH reported on Friday that there were:

• 4,248 total cases (an increase of 126 from Friday)
• 1,165 active cases (an increase of 84 from Friday)
• 3,007 recoveries (an increase of 42 from Friday)
• 76 deaths to date (unchanged)

The most recent death was reported Thursday, Jan. 6. No details were provided.

There are 18 active outbreaks reported by HPPH, including nine at long-term care or retirement homes:

• Hillside Manor, Perth East, declared Dec. 31 and involving two staff cases
• Kingsway Lodge, St. Marys, declared Jan. 3 and involving two resident cases and six staff cases
• Queensway Nursing home, Bluewater, declared Dec. 31 and involving one resident case and one staff case
• Wildwood Care Centre, St. Marys, declared Dec. 27 and involving four staff cases
• Caressant Care Retirement Home, North Perth, declared Jan. 2 and involving two staff cases
• Exeter Villa, South Huron, declared Jan. 2 and involving four resident cases and six staff cases
• Goderich Place, Goderich, declared Jan. 8 and involving one resident case and one staff case
• Maplewood Manor Retirement Home, Huron East, declared Dec. 30 and involving one resident case and one staff case
• Seaforth Manor Retirement Home, Huron East, declared Jan. 2 and involving two residents and one staff case

HPPH is also reporting an outbreak at Stratford General Hospital, declared Jan. 7, involving one patient and one staff member.

HPPH is reporting eight outbreaks at congregate living settings but no further details were provided.

A previously-reported outbreak at Ritz Lutheran Villa, West Perth, declared Jan. 5 and involving two staff cases, is no longer listed as active.

Data on school cases can be found on the websites of the Avon-Maitland District School Board and the Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board.

As of Jan. 10, 83.3 per cent of residents aged five and older have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose while 78.4 per cent are fully vaccinated. Third-dose coverage stands at 38.6 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.

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Sarnia and Lambton

Bluewater Health reported 41 patients in hospital with confirmed COVID-19, up from 29 on Friday. Lambton Public Health is reporting the average ICU occupancy was at 80 per cent for the week of Dec. 26, the most recent data available.

The test positivity rate was 31.2 per cent for the week of Dec. 26, up from 6.8 per cent for the week of Dec. 12. LPH did not provide data for the week of Dec. 19.

On Monday, Lambton Public Health reported:

• 7,129 total cases (an increase of 430 from Friday)
• 1,493 active cases (an increase of 125 from Friday)
• 5,547 resolved cases (an increase of 302 from Friday)
• 89 deaths to date (an increase of three from Friday)
  

LPH reported 15 nine active outbreaks as of Monday, up from nine on Friday.

There are outbreaks at the following congregate living facilities:

• Lambton County Developmental Services in Wyoming, declared Jan. 9 and involving fewer than five resident cases and fewer than five staff/caregiver cases
• Huron House Boys Home in Brights Grove, declared Jan. 8 and involving fewer than five residents and fewer than five staff/caregivers
• Community Living Sarnia-Lambton in Sarnia, declared Jan. 7 and involving fewer than five residents and fewer than five staff/caregivers
• St. Francis Advocates in Petrolia, declared Jan. 7 and involving fewer than five residents and fewer than five staff/caregivers
• Community Living Sarnia-Lambton in Sarnia, declared Jan. 6 and involving fewer than five residents and fewer than five staff/caregivers

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

• Watford Quality Care in Watford, declared Jan. 5 and involving fewer than five resident cases and fewer than five staff cases
• Trillium Villa in Sarnia, declared Jan. 3 and involving 17 residents and 17 staff/caregivers
• Marshall Gowland Manor in Sarnia, declared Jan. 1 and involving fewer than five residents and 12 staff/caregivers
• Afton Park Place in Sarnia, declared Dec. 31 and involving fewer than five residents and nine staff/caregivers
• Sumac Lodge in Sarnia, declared Dec. 31 and involving 12 resident cases and 10 cases among staff/caregivers
• Fiddick’s Nursing Home in Petrolia, declared Dec. 30 and involving six residents and 12 staff/caregivers
• Vision Nursing Home in Sarnia, declared Dec. 29 and involving fewer than five residents and eight staff/caregivers
• Rosewood Retirement Village in Sarnia, declared Dec. 26 and involving fewer than five residents and fewer than five staff/caregivers

Outbreaks have also been reported at a jail and hospital. The outbreak at Sarnia Jail in Sarnia was declared Jan. 8 and involves fewer than five inmates and fewer than five staff. The outbreak at Bluewater Health in Sarnia was declared Jan. 7 and involves fewer than five patients and fewer than five staff.

All active cases at schools within the Lambton Kent District School Board can be found online, as can cases at schools within the St. Clair Catholic District School Board.

Eighty-one per cent of area residents age five and older have had at least one dose of vaccine while 76 per cent have had two doses. Twenty-seven per cent have had a third dose, health unit data shows. 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