The province is reporting 3,670 new COVID-19 cases this morning with 15 deaths while Southwestern Public Health is reporting 32 new cases. Eighteen cases were resolved. One death was reported, a female Woodstock resident in her 60s who is not associated with a long-term care or retirement home outbreak. The death toll is now 71since the pandemic began.
There are another 20 new cases in St. Thomas and one each in Aylmer, Central Elgin, Dutton-Dunwich and Southwold.
One hundred and eighty-nine of the confirmed cases involve variants of concern, with 87 cases still active.
There are 177 ongoing cases in the health unit’s coverage area with 55 in St. Thomas, 48 in Woodstock, 15 in Aylmer, 11 in Blandford-Blenheim, nine in Ingersoll, seven in Bayham and Dutton-Dunwich, five in Central Elgin and Zorra, four in SW Oxford and Tillsonburg, three in Malahide, two in East Zorra-Tavistock and one each in Southwold and Norwich.
Two residents and two staff members at Caressant Care, Bonnie Place in St. Thomas have tested positive as have two staff at Metcalfe Gardens in St. Thomas.
Eight individuals are hospitalized, three of those in ICU. Of the cases hospitalized since the pandemic began, 34.8 per cent were admitted to the ICU.
One hundred and thirteen of the cases are individuals under the age of 50, of those 36 are under the age of 20.
The number of resolved cases is 2,809.
Through April 3 – the latest data available from the health unit – 16,915 individuals have been vaccinated by SWPH, with 14,927 of those having received their first dose.
There are 83.7 ongoing confirmed cases per 100,000 population in the SWPH region as compared to 235.3 per 100,000 in the Middlesex-London Health Unit region. The crude rate for St. Thomas is 141.4 cases per 100,000 population and Aylmer has 200.2 cases per 100,000.
The assessment centre at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital undertook 188 tests on Sunday. The West Elgin Community Health Centre did 61 last Wednesday.

