Seven new COVID-19 cases in Middlesex-London, STEGH adds visitor vaccination policy

A graph shows the percentage of eligible Middlesex-London residents vaccinated over time as of Nov. 6, 2021. (Source: Middlesex-London Health Unit)

Middlesex Centre, Ont. -

The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting seven new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, but no deaths.

Counts continue to fluctuate from single digits to mid-teens, with 15 cases reported Monday, while there were 10 cases Saturday and seven cases on Sunday.

Tuesday's total shifts the seven-day moving average to 9.1 from 8.7, and the region now has a total of 14,572 cases and 246 deaths, with 14,235 cases resolved leaving 91 active.

Of the cases with an episode date in the past six weeks, 63.8 per cent are among the unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or those not yet protected by the vaccine. The same group also account for 80 per cent of hospitalizations and 83.3 per cent of deaths.

The London Health Sciences Centre says it is caring for eight inpatients with COVID-19, an increase of one from Monday.

Meanwhile an outbreak at Bluewater Health in Sarnia is ongoing, with fewer than five cases among either residents or staff/caregivers.

There is one active school outbreak in the region at Wilberforce Public School.

As of the end of the day Saturday, 798,701 vaccine doses had been administered in Middlesex-London.

Of the eligible population over the age of 12, 89.5 per cent have now received at least one dose while 86.2 per cent are fully vaccinated. Those aged from 18 years old to 29 years old continue to have the lowest vaccination rate.

And St. Thomas-Elgin General Hosptial has announced a new mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for essential caregivers that will take effect Nov. 15.

Caregivers will have to be fully vaccinated, with at least 14 days since their second dose, to be permitted into the hospital to visit a patient or to accompany a patient to an appointment. The policy does not apply to patients seeking care.

The hospital already has a mandatory vaccination policy for staff.

REGIONAL COVID-19 COUNTS

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

• Elgin-Oxford – 18 new, 126 active, 4,847 total, 4,626 resolved, 95 deaths (one new)
• Grey-Bruce – two new, 35 active, 2,450 total, 2,388 resolved, 23 deaths
• Haldimand-Norfolk – two new, 63 active, 3,132 total, 3,012 resolved, 50 deaths
• Huron-Perth – 22 new, 46 active, 2,389 total, 2,276 resolved, 67 deaths
• Sarnia-Lambton – three new, 49 active, 4,246 total, 4,126 resolved, 71 deaths

Ontario health officials reported 441 new cases across the province Tuesday and three more deaths linked to COVID-19.