NEWS

Local news in and around Aylmer and Elgin County

Eligibility against widened for vaccinations

May 10, 2021 | 0 Comments

In response to a steadier stream of COVID-19 vaccine being delivered to Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford, Southwestern Public Health announced late Monday, May 10, that eligibility for immunizations would be expanded on Tuesday, May 11, and even further on Thursday, May 13. Anyone who could not work from home and those 16 and older…

St. Thomas man’s death linked to COVID-19

May 10, 2021 | 0 Comments

Southwestern Public Health announced Monday, May 10, that a St. Thomas man in his 70s had died as the result of COVID-19. That brings the total number of deaths in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford since the pandemic began to 77. The health unit also reported 58 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the weekend,…

More charges against Church of God

May 10, 2021 | 1 Comment

Aylmer Police reported Monday, May 10, that additional charges would be laid for breaching Ontario’s COVID-19 emergency orders after another in-person service was held at Aylmer Church of God Restoration on John Street North on Sunday, May 9. Chief Zvonko Horvat said a large number of participants attended the service inside the church. Charges were…

Cerna tears into Herbert Hildebrandt, Church of God

May 7, 2021 | 0 Comments

Councillor Rick Cerna, at a Malahide council meeting Thursday, May 6, ripped into Herbert Hildebrandt and his father, controversial Aylmer Church of God Pastor Henry Hildebrandt, and their actions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Herbert Hildebrandt had sent an email to Mayor David Mennill and township councillors about comments the mayor made in a recent interview…

Tillsonburg hospital COVID-19 outbreak cases rising

May 7, 2021 | 0 Comments

Southwestern Public Health was reporting 19 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford on Friday, May 7, up from 17 the previous day. The total number of ongoing cases being tracked by the health unit rose to 122 from 117. Meanwhile, an outbreak at Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital first reported Thursday…

Lockdown seen as likely to be extended

May 6, 2021 | 0 Comments

Dr. Joyce Lock, medical officer of health for Southwestern Public Health, told health board members at a meeting Thursday, May 6, she expected the current provincial COVID-19 shutdown would continue past the current end date of May 20. The third wave of the pandemic “has been a really tough haul, but we’re heading in the…

Outbreak at Tillsonburg hospital

May 6, 2021 | 0 Comments

Southwestern Public Health reported an outbreak of new COVID-19 cases at Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital on Thursday, May 6. Three patients and two staff members were ill with the virus, the health unit stated. Only one other institutional outbreak is being tracked by the health unit in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford at this time,…

Anyone 50 and over, essential workers now eligible

May 5, 2021 | 0 Comments

Southwestern Public Health announced Wednesday, May 5, that anyone in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford who was 50 or older could start registering beginning Thursday, May 6, for appointments at mass vaccination clinics conducted by the health unit. Previously, the minimum age was 55, except in the N5H postal code “hot spot” in Aylmer and…

Aylmer and area lagging in vaccinations

May 5, 2021 | 0 Comments

Despite being declared a “provincial hot spot” for COVID-19 and receiving an additional allocation of vaccine for the virus, the percentage of the population in the N5H postal code—that’s all of Aylmer and much of Malahide—that had received at least one dose stood at just 17.9 percent as of April 25. That information was revealed…

Eleven new cases in Southwestern region

May 5, 2021 | 0 Comments

Southwestern Public Health reported 11 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford on Wednesday, May 5, down slightly from 12 on Tuesday. The health unit is now tracking 126 ongoing cases of the virus, down from 136 Tuesday. St. Thomas and area decreased to 27 ongoing cases Wednesday from 31 Tuesday…

About a third of adults in Southwestern region vaccinated

May 4, 2021 | 0 Comments

Southwestern Public Health, in a weekly COVID-19 surveillance report issued Monday, May 3, announced that about a third of all adults in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford had so far received at least one dose of vaccine for the virus. The health unit has set a goal of vaccinating 150,000 adults, or three-quarters of the…

Southwestern hospitalizations in double digits

May 4, 2021 | 0 Comments

Southwestern Public Health was reporting 12 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford on Tuesday, May 4. While new cases were down, the health unit announced that 11 Southwestern residents were hospitalized, including four in Intensive Care Units. The health unit is tracking 136 ongoing cases of COVID-19 in the region,…