Viral growth of Ontario, Southwestern area COVID-19 cases

Southwestern Public Health was reporting 110 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford on Friday, Dec. 24, a record high since the pandemic began.

Similarly, across Ontario 9,571 new cases were confirmed Friday, another new record, nearly doubling the one set the previous day at 5,790.

Southwestern is now tracking 479 ongoing cases of COVID-19 in its area, another new record. The previous record of 407 was set in January of 2021.

Two more COVID-19 deaths were also announced Friday, both Elgin women in their 70s.

Thirteen area residents are hospitalized with COVID-19, five of them in intensive care units.

The rate of ongoing cases in the Southwestern area stands at 226.5 per 100,000 of population.

Local cases include 129 in St. Thomas and area, 27 in Central Elgin, 22 in Aylmer and area, 15 in Dutton Dunwich, 11 in Malahide, seven in West Elgin, six in Southwold and five in Bayham.

In Oxford, Woodstock and area has 114 cases, Ingersoll and area 38, Tillsonburg 29, Zorra 29, Blandford Blenheim 13, East Zorra-Tavistock 12, Norwich 12 and South-West Oxford 10.

SWPH has announced that its office will be closed over the holidays, reopening on Monday, Jan. 3. Routine updates of COVID-19 statistics will not be provided until then.