Down to four institutional outbreaks

Southwestern Public Health on Friday, Feb. 18, reported that 55 cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed over the previous two days, or an average of 27.5 daily, in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford.

The number of ongoing cases being tracked by the health unit declined to 331 Friday from 343 Wednesday.

Only four of 34 long-term care and retirement homes in the Southwestern area were still reported to be experiencing ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks, down by one from Wednesday.

Fifteen area residents were hospitalized with the virus on Friday, with six in intensive care units.

Local ongoing cases of COVID-19 include 80 in St. Thomas and area, 20 in Aylmer and Malahide, 14 in Central Elgin, nine in Dutton Dunwich, seven in Bayham and two in Southwold.