Two COVID-19 deaths over the weekend

Southwestern Public Health announced on Monday, Jan. 24, that two persons had died in COVID-19-related cases over the weekend, an Elgin man in his 60s and an Oxford woman in her 80s.

The total number of Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford residents who have died since the pandemic began now stands at 132.

SWPH also reported that 51 area residents were hospitalized with COVID-19, down from 52 Friday, but the number of patients in intensive care units remained unchanged at 10.

Across the province, 3,861 Ontarians were hospitalized with COVID-19 on Monday with 615 in ICUs, compared to 4,114 and 590 respectively on Friday.

The health unit recorded 249 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in its area over the weekend, an average of 83 a day compared to 93 Friday.

The number of ongoing confirmed cases now being tracked by the health unit stands at 803, down from 860 Friday.

Local ongoing cases include 235 in St. Thomas, 49 in Aylmer and Malahide, 17 in Central Elgin, 16 in Dutton Dunwich, 14 each in Bayham and West Elgin and seven in Southwold.