Inpatients at LHSC, new COVID-19 cases decline again

COVID-19 cases by reported date are seen in this graph from the Middlesex-London Health Unit captured Monday, Jan. 24, 2022.

There are now 143 inpatients at the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) with COVID-19, while the number of new cases in Middlesex-London has declined for a fourth day in a row.

While no totals were reported over the weekend, the number of inpatients has continued to decline since peaking at 166 on Wednesday of last week.

Of the 143 inpatients with COVID-19 at LHSC, 90 are being treated for COVID-19 while 53 are being treated for other issues but have also tested positive.

The number of patients in adult Critical Care is 23, while there are five or fewer patients in Children's Hospital and none in pediatric Critical Care.

Meanwhile the number of COVID-positive staff continues to decline, dropping to 214 from 297 on Friday. Seven outbreaks are ongoing.

At St. Joseph's Health Care, 88 workers are positive, down from 99 on Friday, while the number of positive patients/residents remains at 16. Outbreaks at Parkwood Institute and Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care continue.

Meanwhile the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting 140 new cases and one new COVID-19-related death Monday.

The death was is a man in his 70s not associated with a long-term care or retirement home.

Over the weekend, the health unit reports there were 251 new cases and four deaths on Saturday, as well as 201 cases but no deaths on Sunday.

As the daily case counts continue a downward trend, there are now a total of 287 deaths, 2,377 active cases, 25,196 resolved and a cumulative total of 27,861 cases in the region.

REGIONAL COVID-19 COUNTS

Here are the most recently available numbers from other local public health authorities:

• Elgin-Oxford – 249 new (three-day total), 803 active, 9,779 total, 8,844 resolved, 132 deaths (two new)
• Grey-Bruce – 21 new cases, 208 active, 5,267 total, 5,14 resolved, 29 deaths
• Huron-Perth – 45 new, 4,715 total, 79 deaths
• Sarnia-Lambton – 563 active, 8,452 total, 7,787 resolved, 102 deaths

An outbreak in the Surgical B Unit at Bluewater Health in Sarnia that began Jan. 14 has been declared over. A separate outbreak in the inpatient Rehabilitation Unit is ongoing. The hospital is caring for 55 COVID-19-positive inpatients.

Ontario's COVID-19 case count since the start of the pandemic surpassed one million Monday, as deaths topped 11,000. Currently, 3,861 are in hospital with COVID-19.