For the first time in two and a half weeks, the number of new COVID-19 cases in the London region has dropped to one.
The Middlesex London Health Unit reported just one additional person tested positive for the virus on Tuesday. The infected individual appears to be an employee at a local long-term care home. Outbreaks continue at four local long-term care and retirement facilities including Ashwood Manor Retirement Home, Country Terrace, Meadow Park Care Centre, and Peoplecare Oak Crossing.
Tuesday's case represents the area's lowest daily number since September 10, when just a single case was recorded. It follows three days in which a total of 25 new infections were confirmed.
The region’s total case count now sits at 865. Of those only 94 cases remain active as 714 have been resolved and there have been 57 deaths. London and Middlesex County have not reported any additional COVID-19 linked deaths since mid-June.
Demand for COVID-19 testing remains high throughout the region with London's two assessment centres again hitting capacity by 11 a.m. The centres at Carling Heights Optimist Community Centre and Oakridge Arena have been overwhelmed by those seeking tests since mid-September. Three Shoppers Drug Mart stores in London were given the go-ahead by the province to begin COVID-19 testing by appointment as of Tuesday. The Middlesex London Paramedic Service mobile community swabbing unit will also spend the next two weeks travelling to six different towns in Middlesex County to test for the virus.
Southwestern Public Health, the health unit for Elgin and Oxford counties, reported one new infection over the past 24 hours. This is the second day in a row the two counties have confirmed a new case. The area’s total number of cases since the start of the pandemic stands at 266.
The number of resolved cases in the region went up by one on Tuesday to 255, while the death toll stands at five, with no new COVID-19 deaths since July 3.
The region currently has six active cases.
Ontario’s new caseload fell back below the 600 mark.
Public health officials confirmed 554 new cases of the virus on Tuesday. It is a large decrease from the 700 cases reported on Monday -- the province's largest single-day jump since the start of the pandemic.
"Locally, there are 251 new cases in Toronto with 106 in Ottawa, 79 in Peel and 43 in York Region. 62 per cent of today’s cases are in people under the age of 40,” Health Minister Christine Elliott tweeted.
Ontario’s total case count now stands at 51,085.
There were four additional deaths in the province over the past 24 hours, increasing the death toll to 2,844.
Currently, 137 infected Ontarians are in hospital receiving treatment, with 30 in the intensive care unit.
The number of resolved cases rose to 43,450.
Over the past 24 hours, the province has conducted nearly 38,400 COVID-19 tests.
