Six new COVID-19-related deaths in Middlesex-London

The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reporting six new deaths in the region, five men and one woman.

The deaths include two men in their 80s associated with a long-term care home, as well as three more men (in their 60s, 70s and 80s) and a woman in her 80s not associated with a seniors' facility.

This brings the total number of deaths in in London-Middlesex to 294, while across the province a total of 92 COVID-19-related deaths were reported Wednesday.

Locally, there are now 163 inpatients at the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) with COVID-19, an increase of 14 cases in the last 24 hours, with 20 patients in Critical Care and five or fewer at Children's Hospital.

Of those with COVID-19 at LHSC, 102 are being treated for COVID-19 while 61 are being treated for other issues but have also tested positive.

Meanwhile the number of COVID-positive staff continues to decline, dropping to 192 from 199 on Tuesday.

Three new outbreaks have been declared at LHSC, bringing the total number of active outbreaks to nine including both University and Victoria campuses.

At St. Joseph's Health Care, 82 workers are positive, a slight increase, while the number of positive patients/residents held steady at 21. Outbreaks at Parkwood Institute and Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care continue.

Meanwhile in Elgin and Oxford counties, 29 COVID-19 patients have required hospitalization with 10 in Critical Care.

REGIONAL COVID-19 COUNTS

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

Ontario health officials reported a total of 5,368 lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases, with a percent positivity of 14.1 per cent.