5 deaths, ICU admissions up to 28 in London, Ont., on Tuesday

The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) on Tuesday reported five more COVID-19-related deaths in the region.

The first reported deaths in February include:

Health unit data shows two of the dead were unvaccinated, while the others were fully vaccinated with at least two doses.

There were 41 deaths with COVID-19 reported in January, nearly 44 per cent fewer deaths that the same month last year when there were four times fewer cases of COVID-19 in the community. According to recent data from the health unit, unvaccinated people are three times more likely to die and nearly five times more likely to be hospitalized if they contract COVID-19 than those who are vaccinated.

The MLHU reported 90 new cases of COVID-19 among people in high-risk occupations or settings. The seven-day rolling average for daily cases is down to 170.

The London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) on Tuesday reported 149 inpatients, down by six from Monday. However, the number of patients in critical care rose by two to 28.

Of the total, the hospital network said:

The number of staff who have tested positive for the virus is up to 205, up by eight from Monday.

There are eight ongoing outbreaks within the hospital network. For a full list of units impacted at Victoria Hospital and University Hospital, visit their outbreak reporting page.

Ontario reports 3,091 COVID-19 hospitalizations on Tuesday. There were 568 patients with COVID-19 who required intensive care, of which, about 84 per cent were admitted for reasons directly related to the virus.

The Ministry of Health reported 63 more COVID-19-related deaths across the province, bringing the death toll up to 11,504.