LONDON, ONT. -- The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting 54 new COVID-19 cases Friday as numbers continue to climb.

The rise in numbers means that the London region could very well move back into the red-control zone in the coming weeks as the level of new cases are in line with numbers last seen in mid-January.

"We may move to the red zone restrictions sometime soon, or even the grey zone," said Medical Officer of Health Dr. Chris Mackie Thursday.

"I would put that a couple weeks out, but if cases accelerate it could be sooner."

The province announced Friday that the City of Hamilton was moving into grey-lockdown and the Eastern Ontario Health Unit would move to red-control as of Monday.

All local regions remain at their current level of restrictions, while some changes are coming to those in grey-lockdown.

The London region now has 6,772 cases, with 6,297 resolved and 185 deaths (none new) leaving 290 active cases.

There have been 285 new cases reported in the region over the last eight days.

There are five confirmed variant cases and 87 screening positive.

It takes several days to weeks for a positive screening to be confirmed.

An outbreak at the London Health Sciences Centre's University Hospital is ongoing but is relatively small with six patients and fewer than five staff-testing positive, with no new cases reported in recent days.

There are also active outbreaks at four seniors' facilities, Western University's Essex Hall residence and one elementary school.

Two elementary schools in Woodstock, an area handled by Southwestern Public Health, remain closed due to COVID-19 outbreaks.

A new death was recorded in Elgin-Oxford bringing their death toll to 68.

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

  • Elgin-Oxford – 10 new, 78 active, 2,741 total, 2,597 resolved, 68 deaths, 57 variants
  • Haldimand-Norfolk – 21 new, 74 active, 1,588 total, 1,470 resolved, 39 deaths
  • Huron-Perth – one new, 12 active, 1,402 total, 1,340 resolved, 50 deaths, four variants
  • Grey-Bruce – two new, 42 active, 772 total, 728 resolved, two deaths, 27 variants
  • Sarnia-Lambton – 29 new, 217 active, 2,721 total, 2,456 resolved, 48 deaths (one new), 74 variants

Ontario recorded more than 2,000 new cases for the second day in a row.

Health officials logged 2,169 new cases of the novel coronavirus, as well as 12 more deaths related to the disease.

The province reported 2,380 infections on Thursday, about 280 of those cases were the result of a data catchup.

Easter hours at testing centres announced

The MLHU has announced the hours at the city's two COVID-19 assessment centres over the Easter long weekend.

The Carling Heights and Oakridge centres will both be open for testing on Friday, April 2 and Monday April 5.

Carling will be open Friday and Monday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, April 3, and Sunday, April 4, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Oakridge will be open Friday and Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Details about hours and bookings are available here.