NEWS

Local news in and around Aylmer and Elgin County

“The power of vaccination”

March 24, 2021 | 0 Comments

The fact that no long-term care or retirement homes are currently experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak is “a good indication of the power of vaccination,” Dr. Joyce Lock, medical officer of health for Southwestern Public Health, said during a weekly news briefing on Wednesday, March 24. She started by reporting the health unit had confirmed seven…

Some ups, some downs in local COVID-19 cases

March 23, 2021 | 0 Comments

Southwestern Public Health was reporting 17 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, March 23, bringing the total number of ongoing cases in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford to 78, up from 75 on Monday. St. Thomas and area rose to 13 ongoing cases Tuesday from nine on Monday,  while Central Elgin decreased to nine…

Southwestern reports 28 new cases over weekend

March 22, 2021 | 0 Comments

Southwestern Public Health reported on Monday, March 22, that 28 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Elgin, St. Thomas and Middlesex over the weekend. The total number of ongoing infections being tracked by the health unit stands at 75, up from 66 on Friday. (Southwestern, which used to provide daily updates, has stopped doing…

Vaccinations for 75 and older opens Monday

March 19, 2021 | 0 Comments

Southwestern Public Health announced Friday afternoon, March 19, that starting Monday, March 22, appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations would be opened to anyone turning 75 this year and older. Previously, those 80 and older could receive vaccinations. The health unit cited a morning announcement by Ontario Premier Doug Ford that 50 percent of those 80 and…

Thirteen new cases in Southwestern region

March 19, 2021 | 0 Comments

Southwestern Public Health was reporting 13 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday, March 19, up from five the previous day. However, the number of ongoing cases being tracked by the health unit in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford dropped to 66 from 72. Aylmer and area decreased to 10 ongoing cases Friday from 14…

So far, 26 variant cases in Southwestern region

March 18, 2021 | 0 Comments

Southwestern Public Health has so far identified 26 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford involving a variant of the virus. Dr. Joyce Lock told a news briefing Wednesday, March 17, that all positive samples for COVID-19 were now receiving an additional laboratory test to identify the presence of one of two…

Aylmer second-highest cumulative cases in Southwestern region

March 17, 2021 | 0 Comments

Aylmer and area has so far experienced the second-highest number of total cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Southwestern Public Health region of Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford since the pandemic began early in 2020, with 454 to date. Only the much-larger Woodstock and area is higher with 540 to date. In third place…

COVID-19 cases at Davenport, South Dorchester public schools

March 17, 2021 | 0 Comments

Thames Valley District School Board announced on Wednesday, March 17, that COVID-19 cases had been confirmed by Southwestern Public Health affecting Davenport Public School in Aylmer and South Dorchester Public School in Malahide. ‘The board stated that both schools, which had one active case each, would remain open, and that all staff and parents in…

Southwestern cases continue steady climb

March 16, 2021 | 0 Comments

Southwestern Public Health was reporting 14 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford on Tuesday, March 16, up from nine on Monday. The health unit is tracking 72 ongoing cases across the region, up from 61 Monday. Aylmer and area remained at 18 cases, while St. Thomas rose to five on…

Nine new cases, 61 ongoing

March 15, 2021 | 0 Comments

Southwestern Public Health is reporting nine new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford on Monday, March 15, up from two on Sunday. The health unit is tracking 61 ongoing cases, up from 55. Aylmer and area cases rose slightly, to 18 Monday from 17 Sunday, while St. Thomas and area remained…

New cases level off

March 14, 2021 | 0 Comments

Southwestern Public Health, after two days of double-digit increases, reported only two new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, March 14. That’s down from 18 on Saturday and 16 on Friday. The health unit is tracking 55 ongoing COVID-19 cases in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford, down from 56 on Saturday. Aylmer and area decreased…

Eighteen new COVID-19 cases on March 13

March 13, 2021 | 0 Comments

Southwestern Public Health is reporting 18 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford on Saturday, March 13, up from 16 on Friday. However, the number of ongoing cases being tracked by the health unit increased by only seven, to 56 from 49. Aylmer and area cases decreased to 18 from 19,…