Triple-digit COVID-19 cases in London region and 2 deaths Wednesday

Recent developments:

• There are 114 new cases of COVID-19 in Middlesex-London
• Two more deaths were reported; a man in his 70s and a woman in her 90s
• 11 patients remain in critical care at London Health Sciences Centre
• There are 52 new cases of COVID-19 in Elgin-Oxford
• Ontario has 3,266 new cases province-wide, along with 37 more deaths

What's the situation for the London area?

The Middlesex London Health Unit (MLHU) reported 114 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday. It's the third consecutive day of triple-digit daily counts. The seven-day average for new cases is now up to 113.

The health unit says two more people have died who contracted the virus, including a man in his 70s and a woman in her 90s. There have now been 114 COVID-related deaths since the pandemic began, according to the MLHU.

Meanwhile, testing has resumed at the Oakridge assessment centre after taking a break over the holidays. There were 851 people tested at Carling Heights and Oakridge on Monday and 841 on Tuesday. Over the holidays, there was an average of 428 people being tested per day.

There are now 972 known active cases of the novel coronavirus in the London area.

New cases at a west London grocery store

The Real Canadian Superstore at Oxford Street and Hyde Park Road in London's west end has reported "multiple team members" have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Tuesday.

Previously, the parent company, Loblaw, reported two cases involving staff who last worked on Dec. 24 and one case who last worked on Dec. 31.

London Health Sciences Centre 

The region's largest hospital has 42 COVID-positive patients in the hospital, with 11 of them in the intensive care unit, up from 38 inpatients and nine in the ICU yesterday. The number of staff infected with the virus is 30, up from 28 yesterday, the LHSC reported on its website Wednesday. 

Victoria Hospital has declared another outbreak, this one on the unit that treats pregnant women. The outbreak on the B41 antenatal unit includes fewer than five patients and staff, and doesn't include any deaths. 

There are two other outbreaks at the hospital, one declared on Dec. 31 and the other on Jan. 1. 

What's the situation at seniors' homes?

COVID-19 cases are climbing rapidly at local long-term care facilities. There have been 121 new cases involving residents and staff so far this year, with 82 residents infected and 39 staff. Two residents have died.

There are ongoing outbreaks at seven long-term care facilities in the region, including a new outbreak declared at the Oneida Long Term Care Home Tuesday.

Retirement homes remain largely untouched, with only two new cases since the new year. There have been no new cases involving residents since mid-September.

COVID-19 across the region and beyond

Southwestern Public Health, which oversees Elgin-Oxford, reported 52 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday. There are now 407 known ongoing cases in the region. The town of Aylmer, which has about 7,500 people, continues to see the highest case counts for the region with 285.

There were no new deaths reported in Elgin-Oxford.

Meanwhile, there were 3,266 new cases province-wide, along with 37 more deaths.

Vaccines continue to be administered across Ontario, with just over 60,000 people receiving a dose as of Monday night, who are mostly healthcare workers.