LONDON, ONT -- The province is now saying that it plans to test all residents and health workers in long-term care homes for COVID-19, a reversal in course.
In the London-Middlesex region there have been 23 deaths due to COVID-19 as of Wednesday, and nine of those deaths have been in long-term care homes.
Provincially there have been at least 448 deaths.
Originally health officials in Ontario had said they would not conduct widespread testing of asymptomatic people but on Wednesday that decision was reversed.
Ontario has also joined Quebec in calling on the federal government to send military aid to some of the hardest hit nursing homes.
There are five nursing homes in Ontario that Premier Doug Ford has requested the military to step in and help with.
The province has yet to name which facilities those will be.
It is not all doom and gloom however in long-term care homes, as it was announced Wednesday that 20 nursing homes in the province with outbreaks were now virus free.
With files from the Canadian Press.
