MIDDLESEX CENTRE, ONT. -- The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting 22 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, more than doubling Monday's total.

The new cases follow two days of daily counts below 20 cases, with eight on Monday and 17 on Sunday. Both of those totals have been reduced since they were initially reported.

The London region now has 6,458 cases, with 6,113 resolved and 185 deaths – none new - leaving 160 active cases. There are four confirmed variant cases and 35 screening positive.

There are active outbreaks at three area elementary schools, with one closed, and at six seniors' facilities as well as in the medicine unit at London Health Sciences Centre's University Hospital.

New cases were reported Tuesday at Davenport Public School, South Dorchester Public School and Wilberforce Public School. All schools remain open.

It has now been a year since London's first COVID-19 assessment centre opened at Oakridge Arena on March 15, 2020, with the second at Carling Heights Optimist Community Centre opening just three days later.

To date, the two centres have seen more than 171,000 people and tested just over 165,000 people, but health officials hope the centres won't see a second anniversary.

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

  • Elgin-Oxford – 14 new, 72 active, 2,649 total, 2,510 resolved, 67 deaths
  • Haldimand-Norfolk – two new, 49 active, 1,513 total, 1,420 resolved, 39 deaths
  • Huron-Perth – one new, 21 active, 1,387 total, 1,316 resolved, 50 deaths
  • Grey-Bruce – two new, 16 active, 729 total, 711 resolved, two deaths
  • Sarnia-Lambton – 14 new, 175 active, 2,431 total, 2,209 resolved, 47 deaths (one new death)

There are outbreaks at five seniors' facilities or shelters in Sarnia-Lambton, as well as in four schools and one workplace.

Lambton County moved into the grey-lockdown zone under the COVID-19 response framework on Monday, but a number of business have refused to close again prompting warnings and fines from police and bylaw officials.

Across Ontario, 1,074 new infections were reported and 11 more deaths, while the positivity rate climbed past four percent for the first time in March.