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MLHU reports 10 new COVID-19 cases, rise in Delta variant

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Middlesex Centre, Ont. -

The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting 10 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, ending a five-day streak of single-digit daily counts. No new deaths were reported.

The region now has a total of 12,519 cases and 224 deaths, with 12,237 cases resolved leaving 58 active. There are now 3,439 cases with a variant of concern and another 194 that are mutation positive.

Four new cases of the Delta variant were confirmed Wednesday, bringing the region's total to six.

The health unit says they were all in people ages 18 to 31, none had travelled and they do not appear to be linked to each other. All cases have been resolved.

Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Alex Summers says, "The Delta variant, first identified in India, is more transmissible and appears to lead to more people in hospital amongst unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals."

In recent months the variant that originated in the U.K., the B.1.1.7 or Alpha variant, has been the dominant strain in the region, but that is expected to change.

"It is fully anticipated that the Delta variant will become the dominant strain within our region. Across the province it is also presumed the dominant strain is the Delta variant in some jurisdictions and we don't be too far behind," Summers adds.

The Delta variant does have the potential to cause an resurgence in cases, Summers says, if people don't follow public health measures, personal health measures or if people delay getting vaccinated.

As of Saturday, 394,467 doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in the region, bringing the total number of residents 12 and over with at least one dose to over 73 per cent, and with two doses to nearly 14 per cent.

The London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is reporting the number of inpatients with COVID-19 has dropped to 10. Fewer than five are in critical care, while out-of-region transfers accounts for fewer than five patients in acute care and none critical care.

LHSC continues to deal with an outbreak at University Hospital in the 8TU Transplant Unit, the only ongoing outbreak in the region.

REGIONAL COVID-19 COUNTS

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

  • Elgin-Oxford – four new, 32 active, 3,867 total, 3,752 resolved, 83 deaths, 793 variants
  • Grey-Bruce – three new, 41 active, 1,435 total, 1,387 resolved, seven deaths, 403 variants
  • Haldimand-Norfolk – one new, 19 active, 2,697 total, 2,625 resolved, 47 deaths
  • Huron-Perth – one new, 10 active, 1,882 total, 1,815 resolved, 57 deaths, 306 variants
  • Sarnia-Lambton – five new, 31 active, 3,571 total, 3,478 resolved, 62 deaths, 630 variants

For a third day, Ontario health officials reported fewer than 300 new infections, as the positivity rate fell to 1.2 per cent.

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