LONDON, ONT -- The Middlesex-London Health Unit is reporting 24 new COVID-19 cases in the region Saturday.

The new cases bring the region’s overall total to 1,347, including 1,132 resolved and 63 deaths.

Since Friday, The Middlesex-London Health Unit is among the regions moving to a higher level of COVID-19 protection measures after the province lowered the thresholds for its colour-coded system.

Among the local regions moving from green ‘prevent’ to yellow ‘protect’ are:

• Middlesex-London Health Unit

• Southwestern Public Health

• Huron Perth Public Health

• Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit

• Windsor-Essex County Health Unit

The new level will take effect Monday at 12:01 a.m.

On Saturday, the Grey Bruce Health Unit announced it is working with the Bluewater District School Board to address a case of COVID-19 associated with Bruce Peninsula District School in the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula. Although this case is associated with the school, transmission did not take place within the school environment. 

Three ongoing outbreaks continue, one at Henley Place LTC Residence and two in separate units at the London Health Sciences Centre’s University Hospital. There are none in school settings.

Health officials reported 1,581 new infections on Saturday, an increase from the 1,396 cases reported a day earlier.

As of Saturday, there are 502 people in Ontario hospitals being treated for COVID-19. This is an increase of 50 people in the last 24-hour period.

When asked if moving to Code Yellow will be enough to curb transmission in the region, Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Alex Summers is blunt.

“Certainly if we continue to see case counts like we’ve seen over the last week, we would be in discussion with the province around further escalation,” says Dr. Summers.

“We’re also seeing increased restrictions across the province. We’re not an island, so those changes in other jurisdictions will be very helpful,” explains Dr Summers. “We know some of the lack of restrictions in other jurisdictions has probably led to our increasing cases here.”

A full list of restrictions that are included in the yellow level can be found here.