MIDDLESEX CENTRE, ONT. -- The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) reported 24 new cases of COVID-19 and one new death Thursday, while changing how it reports resolved cases.

That change is reflected in a big jump in resolved cases and a corresponding dip in active cases.

On their website the health unit says resolved now refers to the "investigation status of a case, and includes the number of cases that have been reported as recovered, cases that are not hospitalized and are 14 days past their episode date…or cases that are currently listed as hospitalized and have a status of 'closed' that are 14 days past their episode date."

Based on the new reporting, Middlesex-London now has a total of 5,959 cases, with 5,558 resolved and 180 deaths leaving 221 active cases.

That is a jump of 1,581 from the 3,977 cases listed as resolved on Wednesday and now more closely matches the provincially reported numbers.

The one new death was a woman in her 90s associated with a long-term care home.

The MLHU is reporting active outbreaks at six seniors' facilities, and an outbreak at one school, Clara Brenton Public School, was declared on Wednesday. There are now nine schools with an active COVID-19 case.

Southwestern Public Health is reporting four ongoing outbreaks at Elgin and Oxford county institutions.

At Caressant Care Retirement Home in Woodstock, there are now 75 cases, six new in the last 24 hours, and two deaths, while no new cases or deaths were reported at PeopleCare Tavistock, which has seen a total of 85 cases and 10 deaths.

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

  • Elgin-Oxford – 18 new, 120 active, 2,416 total, 2,232 resolved, 64 deaths
  • Huron-Perth – eight new, 42 active, 1,280 total, 1,191 resolved, 47 deaths (one new death)
  • Haldimand-Norfolk – two new, 43 active, 1,377 total, 1,290 resolved, 39 deaths (one new death)
  • Grey-Bruce – four new, 17 active, 669 total, 651 resolved, one death
  • Sarnia-Lambton – seven new, 59 active, 1,904 total, 1,800 resolved, 45 deaths (one new death)

Data migration at Toronto Public Health is being blamed for an "underestimation" of cases across the province, which reported 945 new cases and 18 deaths on Thursday.

Announcement on region's 'zone' expected Friday

A decision on what colour the Middlesex-London region will reopen under once the stay-at-home order is lifted on Tuesday is expected Friday.

MLHU Medical Officer of Health Dr. Chris Mackie says the area is right on the line between orange-restrict and red-control zones under Ontario's COVID-19 response framework.

"When you look at case counts as the most important factor determining where our community will end up, we're very close to the border between orange and red...the other factors - reproductive number, percent positivity - are somewhat biased in our situation so I wouldn't consider them major drivers of that decision. Hospital capacity is holding up, public health capacity is stretched at the moment, so those are all the sort of factors that the province looks at in making the claim and making that decision."

Mackie added that he has spoken with Ontario's chief medical officer of health about the decision.