MIDDLESEX CENTRE, ONT. -- The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting 22 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, but no new deaths.

The London region now has 6,637 cases, with 6,263 resolved and 185 deaths (none new) leaving 189 active cases. There are four confirmed variant cases and 54 screening positive.

Tuesday's total marks little change from Monday's total of 21 cases, but a slight decrease from the weekend, with 26 cases reported Saturday and 30 on Sunday.

Speaking during a virtual media briefing Monday, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Chris Mackie emphasized that as case counts slowly increase, it remains imperative to continue to follow the rules.

"It's so important that any gatherings you have occur outdoors. The number of close contacts per case, which we examine closely, continues to increase – is now in the range of eight to 10. If you have more than five or six close contacts for last week, then you could potentially be contributing to part of the problem we're seeing here."

He added that while vaccinations will protect the most vulnerable from death, a spike in hospitalizations and ICU admissions is still possible.

Four seniors' facilities remain in outbreak as well as the U4-Medicine 1 unit at the London Health Sciences Centre's University Hospital, where six patients and fewer than five staff have now tested positive. No deaths have been associated with the current hospital outbreak.

There is one active school outbreak in the Middlesex-London region, while Southwestern Public Health has closed two schools due to COVID-19 outbreaks.

St. Patrick's and St. Michael's Catholic elementary schools in Woodstock are closed. Eight cases were reported at St. Patrick's and five at St. Michael's. Variants of concern were also reported at both.

Here are the most recently available numbers from other local public health authorities, no new deaths were reported:

  • Elgin-Oxford – 17 new, 78 active, 2,716 total, 2,571 resolved, 67 deaths, 47 variants
  • Haldimand-Norfolk – three new, 60 active, 1,559 total, 1,455 resolved, 39 deaths
  • Huron-Perth – none new, 12 active, 1,401 total, 1,339 resolved, 50 deaths, four variants
  • Grey-Bruce – seven new, 40 active, 769 total, 727 resolved, two deaths, 19 variants
  • Sarnia-Lambton – 10 new, 220 active, 2,643 total, 2,376 resolved, 47 deaths, 71 variants

Across Ontario, new infections fell to 1,546 cases Tuesday, while the positivity rate went up for the sixth straight day.