MIDDLESEX CENTRE, ONT. -- The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting 63 new cases of COVID-19 and one new death on Thursday.

The region now has a total of 5,296 cases, with 3,594 resolved and 161 deaths, leaving 1,541 active cases.

The new death, a man in his 80s, is associated with a long-term care home. Thursday marks the first time this week there have not been multiple deaths.

Since Saturday there have now been 22 deaths in the London region, and 18 of those are associated with long-term care homes.

There are 14 ongoing outbreaks in senior’s facilities in the area, which have now seen a total of 86 deaths since the pandemic began.

The London Health Sciences Centre’s (LHSC) University Hospital and Victoria Hospital, and Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital are also dealing with unit-level outbreaks.

As of Thursday, LHSC says it is dealing with 22 inpatients – 10 in critical care – and 22 staff with active COVID-19 infections.

Southwestern Public Health is reporting outbreaks at 11 seniors’ facilities.

The most serious is at Maple Manor Nursing Home in Tillsonburg. The outbreak has now affected 85 residents and 53 staff. There have been 17 deaths at the facility.

At PeopleCare Tavistock, there have now been 43 resident and 36 staff cases as well as nine deaths, one new death in the last 24 hours.

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

  • Elgin-Oxford – 23 new, 271 active, 2,136 total, 1,816 resolved, 49 deaths (one new death)
  • Grey-Bruce – three new, 30 active, 654 total, 627 resolved, no deaths
  • Sarnia-Lambton – 24 new, 214 active, 1,730 total, 1,483 resolved, 33 deaths
  • Haldimand-Norfolk – 26 new, 183 active, 1,263 total, 1,037 resolved, 38 deaths
  • Huron-Perth – 11 new, 149 active, 1,079 total, 900 resolved, 29 deaths (two new)

Huron Perth Public Health continues to deal with nine outbreaks at seniors’ facilities, including a significant outbreak at Caressant Care Long-Term Care Home in Listowel, where 59 residents and staff are affected.

Meanwhile Lambton County council has set up a new COVID-19 Immunization Task Force led by Lambton Public Health to coordinate the eventual vaccine rollout in the region.

Across Ontario, more than 2,600 new cases were reported, but health officials say that technical issues mean that includes infections from previous days.