MIDDLESEX CENTRE, ONT. -- The Middlesex-London Health Unit says the region added one new death and 33 new COVID-19 cases Friday, pushing the total to 2,013.

The new case milestone follows two record-setting days, with 47 cases reported Wednesday and 52 on Thursday - the highest single-day total since the pandemic began in March.

The new death, a woman in her 70s, brings the total number of deaths in the region to 78. With 1,619 cases resolved, that leaves 316 active cases.

During a virtual media briefing Thursday, MLHU Medical Officer of Health Dr. Chris Mackie said there’s no one factor driving the spread, but a combination of outbreaks, close family contacts, community spread and some travel.

As of Friday, the outbreak at University Hospital has affected a total of 76 patients and 77 staff, that's an additional three patient cases and six staff cases in the past 24 hours.

Of those, the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is reporting that, as of Friday, there are 39 active inpatient cases and 51 active staff cases.

LHSC says a new outbreak has also been declared in University Hospital's 10th Floor Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, bringing the total number of units in outbreak to nine.

Outbreaks are also ongoing at five London-area schools, including St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School which was announced Friday, as well as at two seniors’ facilities - McCormick Home and Country Terrace – and in two Western University residences.

There is also single cases at Davenport Public School and at East Elgin Secondary School in Aylmer.

Southwestern Public Health meanwhile is reporting a record high number of new cases in Elgin and Oxford counties Friday, after narrowly missing the record on Thursday.

Nineteen new cases were were reported Thursday, but 30 new cases were reported Friday, surpassing the previous record of 22 cases set on Oct. 29.

The majority of ongoing cases, 26, are in St. Thomas followed by Aylmer with 18 active cases.

Here is where the cases stand in the region based on the most recent publicly available data:

  • Elgin-Oxford – 30 new, 108 active, 709 total, 593 resolved, eight deaths
  • Sarnia-Lambton – five new, 32 active, 445 total, 387 resolved, 26 deaths
  • Grey-Bruce – 26 active, 378 total, 352 resolved, no deaths
  • Huron-Perth – seven new, 31 active, 423 total, 372 resolved, 20 deaths

Across Ontario, COVID-19-related deaths spiked Friday, as an additional 1,848 cases were reported.