Seven deaths in 36 hours linked to COVID-19

Southwestern Public Health Medical Officer of Health Dr. Joyce Lock on Tuesday morning, Jan. 5, announced seven deaths had occurred in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford linked to COVID-19 in just the previous 36 hours.

That brings the total number of fatalities in the Southwestern region to 23.

Six deaths were related to institutional outbreaks, including one at Maple Manor long-term care home in Tillsonburg, four at People Care long-term care home in Tavistock and one related to Community Living Elgin. One death was not related to those outbreaks.

The dead include: an Aylmer man in his 60s; a St. Thomas man in his 50s; four women from East Zorra-Tavistock, one in her 70s, one in her 80s and  two in their 90s; and a man in his 50s from Tillsonburg.

Dr. Joyce Lock said the wave of deaths illustrated the need for everyone in the community to do their utmost to prevent the spread of the disease, including having no close contacts with anyone they didn’t reside with.

More in the Jan. 6 edition of The Aylmer Express.