The COVID-19 case count in the Oxford and Elgin counties region continued it downward trend over the weekend, falling from 225 to 203 in its most recent update.
The COVID-19 case count in the Oxford and Elgin counties region continued it downward trend over the weekend, falling from 225 to 203 in its most recent update.
Southwestern public health officials confirmed 60 new cases over the weekend and 81 recoveries. One case was also removed from the local numbers by the health unit,
This active case count reflects only the testing of high-risk patients and settings amid the most recent Omicron-driven wave and is no longer considered an accurate count.
The number of hospitalizations in the region increased from last week to six, while the number of patients in intensive care grew to two. Among the hospitalized cases in the region, roughly 31 per cent have been treated in the ICU.
There have now been 11,669 confirmed cumulative cases and 11,313 total recoveries in the Southwestern public health region since the pandemic began. The have also been 153 COVID-related deaths in the past two years.
There remained a single institutional outbreak – officially declared on March 2 – involving three staff and 10 resident cases at Chartwell Oxford Gardens in Woodstock.
As of March 16, 87.5 per cent of area residents 12 and older had received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine while 86.4 per cent had been administered two doses. For residents five and older, the local vaccination coverage rates dropped to 83.7 per cent with one dose and 81.1 per cent with two.
As part of its shift in vaccination strategy, public health has put an emphasis on mobile clinics while closing its mass clinics on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Pop-up clinics
Tuesday, March 2212 p.m. to 4 p.m., Unifor Local 88 (364 Victoria St., Ingersoll)
Thursday, March 241 p.m. to 4 p.m., East Elgin Community Complex (531 Talbot St. W., Aylmer)