MIDDLESEX CENTRE, ONT. -- A day after the region hit another record high daily case count, the Middlesex-London Health Unit is reporting 20 new COVID-19 cases Monday.

There were 37 new cases reported Sunday, which smashed the previously high record of 27 set on Friday. There were 13 cases reported on Saturday.

MLHU Medical Officer of Health Dr. Chris Mackie says, “It is a difficult time right now, we have very high case counts…we broke records here twice over the past week.”

The cases bring the total in the region to 1,268, with 1,082 resolved and 63 deaths, leaving 123 active cases. The vast majority of cases are in the City of London.

While none of the new cases appear to be associated with long-term care or retirement homes, which have accounted for 222 cases to date, there are ongoing outbreaks at two facilities.

There are no outbreaks at child care, elementary or secondary school settings in the area, though several more cases were reported over the weekend and Monday, bringing the total associated with these facilities to 31.

A new workplace outbreak was declared Sunday after three London firefighters tested positive for COVID-19.

As to whether the higher case counts could bring stronger restrictions, Mackie says there are number of factors the province takes into account, not just cases, when deciding on restrictions.

“Nobody wants to get back into a lockdown situation, that’s what we all need to work to try and avoid. With the current trajectory that seems like it’s possible…We need to absolutely double down on our efforts, or that might come back into the picture as a possibility.”

Here is where the cases stand in other area regions based on the most recent publicly available data, no new deaths have been reported in recent days:

  • Elgin-Oxford – six new, 53 active, 380 total, 322 resolved, five deaths
  • Haldimand-Norfolk – five new, 26 active, 571 total, 508 resolved, 32 deaths
  • Sarnia-Lambton – none new, nine active, 380 total, 346 resolved, 25 deaths
  • Grey-Bruce – five new, 10 active, 190 total, 180 resolved, no deaths
  • Huron-Perth – 34 new (since Saturday), 48 active, 203 total, 148 resolved, seven deaths

Of the new cases in Huron-Perth, 32 are in Stratford where an outbreak at Cedarcroft Retirement Place now has a total of 23 confirmed cases.

Huron Perth Public Health also reported Sunday, "Sadly, another resident at Cedarcroft who was receiving palliative care and tested positive for COVID-19 has passed away over the weekend," though this has not been added to the region's COVID-19 deaths so it's unclear if the death was virus-related.

Across the province, Ontario recorded more than 1,000 new cases for the fourth straight day, with 1,242 new infections reported Monday.

Correction:

A previous version of this story stated the Middlesex-London Health Unit had confirmed three people who attended a large Halloween party near Western University had since tested positive for COVID-19.

However, the health unit released a statement Wednesday saying no recent cases have "been linked conclusively to a house party that occurred on Beaufort Street, In London, On October 30th to 31st."

The statement continued, "Three Fanshawe College students who tested positive for COVID-19 were reported to the Health Unit on Saturday, November 7th. These students were close contacts of a previous case and did not attend the Beaufort Street house party.

"The Middlesex-London Health Unit regrets causing confusion about this situation and apologizes for any resulting mis-communication."