COVID-19 cases at LHSC match record high, again
The London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is reporting it has 166 inpatients with COVID-19, hitting the same record high at the hospital for the third time this month.
Three new inpatients were added in the last 24 hours, while the number in Critical Care has dropped by one to 19. There are five or fewer patients at Children's Hospital.
Of those with COVID-19 at LHSC, 94 are being treated for COVID-19 while 72 are being treated for other issues but have also tested positive.
The number of COVID-positive staff rose slightly to 200 from 192 on Wednesday, while the total number of active outbreaks at LHSC is at nine, including both the University and Victoria campuses.
At St. Joseph's Health Care, 76 workers are positive, a slight decrease, while the number of positive patients/residents fell to 13 from 21. Outbreaks at Parkwood Institute and Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care continue.
The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting 220 new cases and one new COVID-19-related death in the region Thursday, a day after six deaths were reported.
The death was a man in his 80s not associated with a long-term care or retirement home who had received three vaccine doses. It brings the total number of deaths in the region to 295.
During a virtual media briefing Thursday, Acting Medical Officer of Health emphasized that despite deaths occurring among those who are vaccinated, if not for the vaccine, the death rate would be much higher.
"In the month of January, over 25 per cent of those who have died were unvaccinated. Only seven per cent of our population over age 12 has not received a vaccine. What this means is that the unvaccinated are overrepresented in the number of people who are dying."
He added that those who are getting vaccinated and boosted are doing the "absolute best thing" to reduce the risk of death.
REGIONAL COVID-19 COUNTS
Here are the most recently available numbers from other local public health authorities:
- Middlesex-London – 220 new, 2,064 active, 28,418 total, 26,059 resolved, 295 deaths (one new)
- Elgin-Oxford – 85 new, 732 active, 9,980 total, 9,111 resolved, 137 deaths (one new)
- Grey-Bruce – 36 new cases, 191 active, 5,338 total, 5,113 resolved, 33 deaths (three new)
- Huron-Perth – 40 new, 4,895 total, 80 deaths
- Sarnia-Lambton – 87 new, 379 active, 8,582 total, 8,097 resolved, 106 deaths
Ontario health officials reported 5,852 new cases and 70 new deaths related to COVID-19 Thursday with 3,645 in hospital.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.