New COVID-19 death, but return to single-digit cases in Middlesex-London

Middlesex Centre, Ont. — The Middlesex-London region has dropped back into single-digit daily COVID-19 case counts for the first time in nearly a week, but is also reporting a new death.

The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting nine new COVID-19 cases Monday, following five straight days of double-digit cases. November has seen 15 days with double-digit counts.

The new cases bring the total in the region to 1,477, including 1,284 resolved and 64 deaths, leaving 129 active cases.

The one new death reported Monday was a woman in her 70s not associated with a long-term care or retirement home, but who was associated with a cluster of cases.

There is one ongoing outbreak at a seniors’ facility, in a unit at the Parkwood Institute. Outbreaks also continue in two units at the London Health Sciences Centre’s (LHSC) University Hospital.

MLHU Medical Officer of Health Dr. Chris Mackie confirms there have now been 23 cases associated with one LHSC outbreak and six with the other, mostly among staff.

And LHSC's website indicates there are still 19 staff and 14 inpatients positive for COVID-19 at all of its facilities as of Monday.

In addition, two outbreaks have been declared at Western University residences in recent days – one at Perth Hall and the other at Saugeen-Maitland Hall.

As of Monday, Mackie says three cases have been associated with the outbreak at Perth Hall, none new, while one new case was associated with Saugeen-Maitland, bringing that total to nine, plus an outside linked case.

Meanwhile, a case of COVID-19 has been identified by Southwestern Public Health at Laurie Hawkins Public School in Ingersoll and another by the MLHU at Lord Dorchester Secondary School in Dorchester.

Staff, parents and guardians have been notified. The school will remain open and school buses will continue to operate.

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

Across the province, Ontario broke another record for daily cases, with 1,589 new infections reported Monday.