Thirteen new cases in Southwestern region

Southwestern Public Health was reporting 13 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday, March 19, up from five the previous day.

However, the number of ongoing cases being tracked by the health unit in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford dropped to 66 from 72.

Aylmer and area decreased to 10 ongoing cases Friday from 14 on Thursday and St. Thomas and area to four from five, while Central Elgin remained at seven.

In Oxford, Woodstock and area rose slightly to 36 from 35 and Ingersoll and area to three from one. East Zorra-Tavistock decreased to two from three, while Tillsonburg and area stayed at three and Blandford-Blenheim at one.

The infection rate for the Southwestern region stands at 32.2 cases per 100,000 of popolation, down from 34 Thursday.

Across Ontario, 1,745 new cases were confirmed on Friday, up from 1,553 on Thursday.