COVID-19: LHSC has 56 inpatients, MLHU reports 2 deaths and 85 cases

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

The Middlesex-London Health Unit reported two deaths and 85 lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday, though the case count is an underestimate due to widespread transmission and restrictions on testing.

London Health Sciences Centre, meanwhile, is caring for 56 inpatients with COVID-19, 14 of whom are in adult critical care, continuing an overall downward trend in hospitalizations.

Hospitalizations

As noted, LHSC is caring for 56 COVID-19 inpatients, with 14 inpatients in adult critical care. Last Friday, there were 87 COVID-19 inpatients, with 20 in adult critical care.

Of the 56, there were five or fewer in Children’s Hospital, with five or fewer in pediatric critical care. The same figures were reported last Friday.

Of the 56 patients, 27 are being treated for COVID-19 while 29 others in hospital have incidental COVID-19 infections (meaning they were admitted for another reason).

Among staff, there are 144 cases, up from 136 cases the day before and 140 a week ago.

St. Joseph’s Health Care London reported two cases among patients or residents in its care and 54 health-care workers with COVID-19. A week ago it reported five patient or resident cases and 69 cases among health-care workers.

The patient/resident cases reported Friday are both at Parkwood Institute Main Building.

Cases and testing

As mentioned, the MLHU reported two deaths on Friday, involving a woman in her 50s associated with a long-term care home and a man in his 80s with no association with a long-term care or retirement home.

The number of virus-related deaths reported by the health unit this month stands at 37.

The health unit also reported 85 cases on Friday. Last Friday, the MLHU reported three deaths and 117 cases.

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 31,179 confirmed cases since the onset of the pandemic, including 1,168 currently active cases (a decrease of 42), 29,674 resolved cases (an increase of 121) and 337 deaths (an increase of two).

The test positivity rate for the week of Feb. 6 was 16.6 per cent, down from 17.8 per cent the week of Jan. 30.

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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 Hospital
    • U9 300 – Medicine, declared Feb. 17, case information was not yet available.
    • U4 North East and East Corridors, General Medicine, declared Jan. 25, 16 patient cases and 13 staff cases.
    • A9 Inpatients 100 and 200 Corridors, declared Jan. 11, involving 40 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. 31
• Extendicare, first and second floors, declared Dec. 24
• Henley Place LTC Residence, Harris, declared Dec. 29
• Maple View Terrace, third floor, declared Feb. 12
• Oneida Long Term Care Home, facility-wide, declared Jan. 28
• Waverley Mansion, facility-wide, declared Feb. 3
• Westmount Gardens, Lily Unit, declared Feb. 15

A previously reported outbreak at Meadow Park Care Centre, Blue Unit, declared Jan. 1, was listed as over as of Feb. 17.

Vaccinations

As of the end of day Feb. 12, 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 from 85.9 per cent.

The percentage of people aged five and older who have received third doses is 48.5 per cent, up from 47.7 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. 24, 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.

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 1,281 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Friday, with 352 in ICUs. Last Friday, those figures were 1,829 and 435, respectively.

Of the 1,281 in hospital, 51 per cent were admitted due to the virus while 49 per cent were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for COVID-19. Of the 352 in ICUs, 81 per cent were admitted due to COVID-19.

The province also added 2,337 lab-confirmed cases to its tally, though that is an underestimate due to widespread transmission and recent testing restrictions. Thirty-three more virus-related deaths were reported, bringing the total to 12,237.

Elgin and Oxford

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

On Friday, SWPH reported 15 hospitalizations with six inpatients in the ICU, compared with 24 hospitalizations and six inpatients in the ICU a week ago.

The test positivity rate for the week of Feb. 6 was 13.5 per cent, down from 14.9 per cent the week prior.

As for cases, SWPH reported:

• 10,967 cases (an increase of 55 from Wednesday with one removed due to data cleanup)
• 331 active cases (a decrease of 12 from Wednesday)
• 10,491 resolved cases (an increase of 66 from Wednesday; note that SWPH clears all cases after 10 days regardless of outcome)
• 145 total deaths to date (unchanged from Wednesday)
  

There are active institutional outbreaks at the following locations:

• Chartwell Aylmer, Aylmer, declared Jan. 2 and involving seven resident cases and 20 staff cases.
• Metcalfe Gardens Retirement Home, St. Thomas, declared Jan. 13 and involving 28 resident cases, nine staff cases and one death.
• Maple Manor Nursing Home, Tillsonburg, declared Jan. 18 and involving 50 resident cases and 18 staff cases.
• Bethany Care Home, Norwich, declared Feb. 9 and involving four resident cases and one staff case.

Previously reported outbreaks at Elgin Manor in St. Thomas and Woodingford Lodge in Woodstock are no longer listed as active.

As of Feb. 16, 80.3 per cent of those aged five and older in the region had received two doses of the vaccine, while 83.4 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.

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Huron and Perth

On Friday, Huron Perth Public Health reported one patient in hospital with COVID-19. The case was not considered active. A week ago, HPPH reported four people in hospital with two active cases.

For the week of Feb. 6, the test positivity rate was 11.0 per cent, down from 11.3 per cent the week prior.

In total, HPPH reported 5,508 total cases (an increase of 10 from Thursday) and 92 deaths to date (unchanged).

HPPH reported 646 total cases among health-care workers since March 2020, an increase of three from Thursday. Two cases were listed as active as of Friday.

There are three active outbreaks reported by HPPH:

• Queensway Nursing Home, Bluewater, declared Jan. 27 and involving 35 resident cases and 19 staff cases.
• South Huron Hospital in South Huron, declared Jan. 27, involving 16 patients and 13 staff members.
• An outbreak at an unidentified congregate living facility.

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.

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Sarnia and Lambton

Bluewater Health reported nine patients in hospital with confirmed COVID-19, compared with 13 a week ago. Of those nine, none are in the ICU, compared with one 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 Feb. 6 was 22.9 per cent, down from 25.7 per cent the week of Jan. 30.

On Friday, Lambton Public Health reported:

• 9,582 total cases (an increase of 22)
• 153 active cases (a decrease of 10)
• 9,307 resolved cases (an increase of 32)
• 122 deaths to date (unchanged)
  

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).

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 Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues