Health officials urge caution this Easter long weekend as COVID-19 cases continue to climb

The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting 156 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 Thursday.

These numbers are concerning to local health officials, especially going into the long weekend.

Dr. Alex Summers, MLHU medical officer of health urges caution as people prepare to celebrate Easter.

“It’s really important to remember that we may be gathering with people this weekend who are a bit more medically vulnerable, older grandparents, older aunts and uncles — so take steps to protect yourself before seeing them so you’re not going to be the conduit that brings COVID into that gathering,” he said.

Wael Haddara, chief division of critical care medicine at the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), echoes Summers’ sentiment, and warns the public not to let down their guard.

“Everybody is fed up with COVID, everybody wants to move on and have a normal life and that includes family gatherings…the concern of course is that the Easter weekend is fueling some of that transmission,” Haddara said.

The LHSC reported that 321 staff members are currently out sick with COVID-19, which is up from 278 staff members reported out sick Wednesday.

“The impact on our hospital is significant. Those that are working, a lot of them are here working overtime when they should be off and the entire team is dealing with less people to care for the same or more volume of patients so it’s an added strain,” said Dr. Adam Dukelow, chief medical officer at the LHSC.

The LHSC is currently caring for 41 inpatients with COVID-19, while five patients or fewer are in adult critical care. Five or fewer patients are currently in Children’s Hospital with COVID-19, with zero inpatients in paediatric critical care.

St. Joseph’s Health Care also reported 169 COVID-19 cases among staff as of April 13.

That brings the total number of active lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in the region to 1,075 and a total of 366 deaths.

— With files from CTV London’s Jennifer Basa