MIDDLESEX CENTRE, ONT. -- The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting 44 new COVID-19 cases, and two long-term care home deaths as the London Health Sciences Centre takes on COVID-19 patients from out of town.

The region has now seen a total of 5,613 cases, with 3,783 resolved and 175 deaths, leaving 1,655 active cases.

Friday's case count marks another slight increase this week after a low of 20 was reported on Tuesday.

The two women who died, one in her 70s and the other in her 90s, were both associated with long-term care homes.

Outbreaks are ongoing at 11 seniors' facilities in the region and in one unit at the London Health Sciences Centre's (LHSC) University Hospital. An outbreak at Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital was finally declared over late Thursday.

As of Friday, LHSC was reporting 17 inpatients, eight in critical care, and 15 staff members testing positive for COVID-19.

Meanwhile hospital officials confirm the first critically ill COVID-19 patient from the GTA has been transferred to LHSC to help relieve overwhelmed Toronto-area hospitals.

It's unclear at this time whether the patient is at University Hospital or Victoria Hospital, but an LHSC spokesperson say they are expecting to receive two more critically ill patients in the coming days.

Southwestern Public Health is handling outbreaks at 11 institutions in Elgin and Oxford counties.

At the Caressant Care Retirement Home in Woodstock, six new resident and one new staff cases have brought the totals there to 35 resident and six staff cases, but no deaths.

For a second day in a row, no new cases or deaths were reported Friday related to the large outbreaks at Maple Manor Nursing Home in Tillsonburg, or at PeopleCare Tavistock.

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

  • Elgin-Oxford – 11 new, 182 active, 2,275 total, 2,037 resolved, 56 deaths
  • Sarnia-Lambton – 10 new, 107 active, 1,817 total, 1,673 resolved, 37 deaths (one new death)
  • Haldimand-Norfolk – three new, 58 active, 1,309 total, 1,208 resolved, 38 deaths
  • Grey-Bruce – six new, 30 active, 637 total, 607 resolved, no deaths
  • Huron-Perth – three new, 86 active, 1,203 total, 1,078 resolved, 39 deaths

Huron Perth Public Health continues to deal with three active outbreaks. The most serious is at Caressant Care in Listowel where 108 people have been affected, though health official say it is under control.

And a new outbreak was declared at Seaforth Manor, where over half the residents have tested positive over the past few days. Currently 37 residents and eight staff are impacted.

Across Ontario, 1,837 new cases were reported, a drop from Thursday's single-day spike.