First school outbreak of new year declared as MLHU reports 26 new COVID-19 cases
The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting 26 new COVID-19 cases Friday, but no new deaths, and the first school-associated outbreak of the new academic year.
Friday's total follows two days of case counts above 30, a high that hasn't been reported in the region in nearly a month.
The region now has a total of 13,759 cases and 237 deaths, with 13,325 cases resolved leaving 197 active. There are 4,141 cases with a variant of concern.
Of the cases occurring since Aug. 5, 83.2 per cent are among the unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. The same group accounts for 96.9 per cent of hospitalizations and 66.7 per cent of deaths.
The London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) reports it is has eight inpatients with COVID-19 with fewer than five either in adult critical care or in Children's Hospital.
At London-area schools, at least 16 cases have been confirmed at 10 schools. Two of the most recent cases were reported at Cedar Hollow Public School and Westfield Public School, according to the Thames Valley District School Board.
On Friday afternoon, the health unit declared an outbreak at École élémentaire La Pommeraie in southwest London, after a fourth case at the school.
It is the first school outbreak to be declared in the Middlesex-London region since the start of the new school year.
Health officials say the most recent case was a close contact of a previous case and had been in isolation, not attending school while contagious.
The school remains open, with staff and students in close-contact classrooms having already been asked to stay home.
An outbreak was also declared Thursday on the first and second floors at Earls Court Village nursing home. An outbreak is declared if there is one or more cases in residents or staff.
REGIONAL COVID-19 COUNTS
Here are the most recently available numbers from other local public health authorities:
- Elgin-Oxford – 18 new, 85 active, 4,207 total, 4,037 resolved, 85 deaths
- Grey-Bruce – two new, 26 active, 2,300 total, 2,248 resolved, 22 deaths
- Haldimand-Norfolk – one new, 31 active, 2,881 total, 2,796 resolved, 48 deaths
- Huron-Perth – four new, 37 active, 2,106 total, 2,004 resolved, 65 deaths
- Sarnia-Lambton – eight new, 42 active, 3,748 total, 3,637 resolved, 69 deaths
Across the province, Ontario health officials reported 795 new COVID-19 cases and five deaths on Friday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.