Southwestern COVID-19 cases continue gradual rise

Southwestern Public Health was reporting 16 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford on Friday, Oct. 8, up from 11 new cases the previous day.

The number of ongoing cases being tracked by the health unit also rose, to 84 Friday from 79 Thursday.

A quarter of the cases involve residents from newborn through 19 years old.

Four residents are hospitalized with COVID-19, one in an intensive care unit.

Ongoing cases in Aylmer and area decreased to 18 Friday from 20 Thursday, while St. Thomas and area increased to 12 from eight.

Bayham stayed at 10, Central Eglin, Dutton Dunwich and West Elgin at three each and Southwold at one.

In Oxford, Woodstock and area climbed to 12 from eight and Tillsonburg and area to 10 from eight. Zorra fell to two from five. South-West Oxford remained at four, Ingersoll and area and Norwich at two each and Blandford-Blenheim and East Zorra-Tavistock at one each.

The infection rate for the Southwestern region stands at 39.7 cases per 100,000 of population, up from 37.4 on Thursday.

Across Ontario, 573 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed Friday, up slightly from 565 on Thursday.