Two more COVID-19 deaths

Southwestern Public Health announced on Monday, Jan. 10, that two women in Woodstock, one in her 60s and one in her 70s, had died as a result of COVID-19.

The total number of deaths in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford since the pandemic began now stands at 119.

Monday, 22 local residents were hospitalized due to COVID-19, seven of them in intensive care units, compared to 17 hospitalized and three in ICUs on Friday.

Across the province, 2,467 Ontarians were hospitalized with the virus Monday, with 438 in intensive care units, compared to 2,472 and 338 respectively on Friday.

Outbreaks are being monitored at 14 long-term care and retirement homes across the Southwestern area, as well as one at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital.

The health unit also on Monday reported 387 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the weekend, or an average of 129 a day, compared to 194 last Friday.

The health unit is tracking 1,459 ongoing confirmed cases, down from 1,543 on Friday, but that might be partly due to a new policy to remove any ongoing case after 10 days has elapsed.

Local confirmed ongoing cases include 416 in St. Thomas and area, 88 in Aylmer and Malahide, 61 in Central Elgin, 32 in West Elgin, 30 in Dutton Dunwich, 21 in Bayham and nine in Southwold.