The province is reporting 1,571 new COVID-19 cases this morning with 10 deaths while Southwestern Public Health is reporting seven new cases. Seven cases were resolved. All of the new cases are in Oxford County. Fifty of the confirmed cases involve variants of concern, with 20 cases still active.
The death toll remains at 67 since the pandemic began.
There are 78 ongoing cases in the health unit’s coverage area with 35 in Woodstock, 11 in St. Thomas, nine in Central Elgin, eight in Ingersoll, five in Tillsonburg, three in East Zorra-Tavistock and SW Oxford and one each in Aylmer, Bayham, Dutton-Dunwich and Norwich.
Four individuals are hospitalized, none in ICU. Of the cases hospitalized since the pandemic began, 34.4 per cent were admitted to the ICU.
One staff member has tested positive at Arches Transitional Bed Program in Woodstock.
Fifty-nine of the cases are individuals under the age of 50, of those 20 are under the age of 20.
The number of resolved cases is 2,578.
Through March 13 – the latest data available from the health unit – 4,134 individuals have been fully vaccinated by SWPH, while 2,500 have received their first dose.
There are 36.9 ongoing confirmed cases per 100,000 population in the SWPH region as compared to 37.2 per 100,000 in the Middlesex-London Health Unit region. The crude rate for St. Thomas is 28.3 cases per 100,000 population and Aylmer has 13.3 cases per 100,000.
The assessment centre at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital undertook 259 tests on Monday while the West Elgin Community Health Centre conducted 40.

