Nine new cases, but ongoing cases remain at 61

Southwestern Public Health was reporting nine new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford on Thursday, Feb. 18, up from two on Wednesday.

However, the number of ongoing cases being tracked by the health unit remained unchanged at 61 as recoveries offset new infections.

One fatality was reported Thursday, an Oxford woman in her 80s, bringing the death toll connected to COVID-19  in the Southwestern region to 65.

One case of COVID-19 was also reported involving a resident of Aylmer Retirement Residence.

St. Thomas and area rose to 10 ongoing cases on Thursday from eight on Wednesday, and Aylmer and area to two from one.

Dutton Dunwich remained unchanged at two cases, and Malahide and West Elgin at one each.

In Oxford, Woodstock and area increased to 25 from 23, while Tillsonburg and area decreased to 10 from 14.

Ingersoll and area stayed steady at six, East Zorra-Tavistock at two and Zorra at two.

The infection rate for the Southwestern region continues to stand at 28.8 cases per 100,000 of population.

Across Ontario, 1,038 new cases of the virus were reported on Thursday, up from 847 on Wednesday.