MIDDLESEX CENTRE, ONT. -- The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting 81 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, a day before vaccine eligibility is set to expand to adults 40 and over.

The region now has a total of 11,346 cases and 210 deaths, with 10,320 cases resolved leaving 816 active. There are 2,198 cases with a variant of concern -- largely the B.1.1.7 variant.

For the week ending May 9, the Middlesex-London region has a seven-day percent positivity of 6.3 per cent, compared to 7.7 per cent for the province for the same period. That marks the fourth week of declining positivity locally.

On Thursday morning, all adults over the age of 40 will be eligible to book a COVID-19 vaccine through the region's mass vaccination centres.

The expansion comes on the heels of news that Ontario is no longer offering first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which was being administered largely at pharmacies, due to an increase in the risk of blood clots.

Earlier in the week, a new group of essential workers and people with at-risk health conditions became eligible to book their appointments.

At the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), there are 71 inpatients with COVID-19. Of those, 37 are in intensive care while out-of-region cases account for eight patients in acute care and 24 in the ICU.

Southwestern Public Health is reporting one new patient case in connection with an outbreak at Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital, which now involves 12 resident and five staff cases as well as one death.

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

  • Elgin-Oxford – 20 new, 136 active, 3,592 total, 3,379 resolved, 77 deaths, 599 variants
  • Grey-Bruce – two new, 35 active, 1,254 total, 1,213 resolved, six deaths, 315 variants
  • Haldimand-Norfolk – two new, 192 active, 2,489 total, 2,251 resolved, 41 deaths
  • Huron-Perth – 15 new, 77 active, 1,671 total, 1,540 resolved, 54 deaths, 158 variants
  • Sarnia-Lambton – 15 new, 78 active, 3,350 total, 3,216 resolved, 56 deaths, 461 variants

Across Ontario, 2,320 new infections were reported, while the number of patients in intensive care dropped.