While Elgin and Oxford counties are dealing with a surge of new COVID-19 cases, London and Middlesex County saw no additional infections Thursday.
According to the Middlesex London Health Unit, no one in the region has tested positive for the virus over the last 24 hours. It is the second time this week there have been no new cases reported. Zero new infections were also recorded on Tuesday. This leaves the area's total number of confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic unchanged at 669.
One person previously diagnosed with COVID-19 has since recovered, bringing the number of resolved cases to 586.
There have been no additional deaths in London or Middlesex since June 12. The death toll is 57.
For Southwestern Public Health, the numbers are far less promising with a double-digit increase in new cases.
The health unit that covers Elgin and Oxford counties reported 14 new cases of the virus on Thursday. That follows an eight case jump on Wednesday, two new cases on Tuesday, and seven new cases on Monday. That region's total case count now sits at 136.
The number of resolved cases in the area rose by one over the past 24 hours to 85 and there have been no additional deaths since the start of the month.
The two counties reported spike of new cases came on the same day local Medical Officer of Health Dr. Joyce Lock issued instructions making face coverings mandatory in all enclosed public spaces. The order takes effect at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday. Those who don't comply with the order could face fines ranging from $750 to $100,000.
For the second straight day, Ontario had fewer than 100 laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Public health officials reported there were just 89 new infections confirmed across the province since Wednesday. While it is up from the previous day's 76 cases, it is still well below the average number of day-to-day cases reported over the past four months.
"Locally, 28 of the province’s 34 public health units are reporting five or fewer cases, with 17 of them reporting no new cases," Health Minister Christine Elliott tweeted.
She added that hospitalizations, intensive care unit admissions, and patients on ventilators have all declined.
The bulk of the new cases, 63 per cent, reported on Thursday involved people under the age of 40.
Ontario's total case count is now 39,075, with 34,906 resolved cases, and 2,772 deaths. Three additional COVID-19 related deaths were reported over the last 24 hours.
More than 27,600 Ontarians were tested for the virus since Wednesday.
