Slight decline in COVID-19 inpatients, cases in Middlesex-London

The London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is reporting a decline in the number of inpatients with COVID-19 as the Middlesex-London Health Unit reports a slight drop in cases, but two new deaths.

LHSC is reporting it has 132 inpatients with COVID-19, down two in the last 24 hours, and the number of patients in adult Critical Care has dropped to 21 from 24. Six inpatients are in Children's Hospital, an decrease of two, with five or fewer in pediatric Critical Care.

Of those in hospital, 78 are being treated for COVID-19 while another 54 are being treated for other issues but have also tested positive. Meanwhile 511 LHSC staff are positive.

At St. Joseph's Health Care 132 workers are positive, up from 123 on Thursday, along with 77 patients/residents, no change in the last 24 hours.

The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting 253 new lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19, a decline from the last three days, and two new deaths in the region. The number of active cases is continuing to decline.

Middlesex-London now has 3,132 active cases and seen a total of 25,493 cases, with 22,094 resolved, and 267 related deaths.

The new deaths, a woman in her 70s and a man in his 60s, were not associated with a long-term care or retirement home.

The seven-day moving average of case counts dropped to 331.9, down from 355 on Thursday, and has now been declining steadily for a week.

There are more than two dozen active outbreaks in seniors' facilities in the region and three in units at LHSC's University and Victoria hospitals.

In a bid to increase vaccinations, the province's GO-VAXX bus will return to London, stopping at the East Lions Community Centre on Sunday, Jan. 16 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Appointments are necessary, and first, second and booster doses are available to anyone over the age of five. Bookings are available here.

REGIONAL COVID-19 COUNTS

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

• Elgin-Oxford – 118 new, 1,129 active, 8,942 total, 7,685 resolved, 128 deaths (one new)
• Grey-Bruce – 54 new cases, 245 active, 4,765 total, 4,488 resolved, 27 deaths
• Huron-Perth – 88 new, 1,262 active, 4,394 total, 3,054 resolved, 78 deaths
• Sarnia-Lambton – 141 new, 800 active, 7,568 total, 6,674 resolved, 94 deaths (one new)

A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared on the Surgical B-unit at Bluewater Health in Sarnia.

Six patients have tested positive while four staff infections related to the outbreak have been identified.

All designated care partners are not allowed inside as a result.

Bluewater Health is currently treating 41 COVID-positive patients.

Meanwhile an outbreak at the Alexandra Marine and General Hospital in Goderich has been declared over with all regular services resuming.

Across the province, Ontario health officials is reporting there are 3,814 people in hospital and 527 patients in ICU.

Health officials are reminding residents that the number of people who actually have COVID-19 in the community is likely much higher that the numbers being reported.