COVID-19 restrictions ease as London region sees 5 cases Tuesday
Key updates on the coronavirus pandemic in the region
Recent Developments:
- The stay-at-home order is now lifted for Middlesex-London and surrounding areas.
- Rapid COVID-19 testing begins today in Ontario's long-term care homes.
- Truckers are exempt from Canada's new travel rules at the border.
What's the latest in the London region?
The Middlesex London Health Unit is reporting five new cases Tuesday, one of the lowest counts in three months. The last time numbers were this low was on Nov. 17.
There were no new deaths on Tuesday. The health unit posted 34 recoveries and says there are 157 known active cases in the jurisdiction.
What's going on outside of London?
Huron Perth Public Health had the highest case count, surpassing London on Tuesday. It reported 15 new infections, including five in Stratford and three in Goderich.
There are 34 known active cases in the region and the health unit says the data shows Huron East to be the hotspot with 12 people infected.
Southwestern Public Health continued to report single-digit case counts Tuesday, with five new people testing positive. This region, which takes in St. Thomas and Woodstock, has had six days of low case counts.
There were no deaths recorded by either Huron Perth or Southwestern public health units.
How are schools doing?
Two schools with the Thames Valley District School Board reported positive COVID-19 tests this past weekend. East Carling and Huron Park remain open but are now part of a growing list of school communities in the region to report cases.
Eleven schools across all the boards are reporting positive cases, however only two are in an outbreak situation. Clara Brenton and Caradoc North Public Schools have two or more cases involving students or staff, which according to the health unit constitutes an outbreak.
Three childcare centres are also reporting cases, however none is in an outbreak situation.
What does the red zone change?
Middlesex-London and surrounding regions are no longer under the province's stay-at-home order.
Restaurants, gyms, personal care services, theatres and non-essential businesses can now open with limits. Most sports can also resume.
Social gatherings at private homes, backyards or in public parks can have up to five people indoors or 25 people outdoors. Organized events can be larger.
People are asked to only have close contact with people they live with, be masked and distanced for all other in-person contact and only travel for essential reasons, especially between differently coloured zones.
Huron Perth is orange under the province's colour-coded pandemic scale. Grey-Bruce moves to the green zone.