1 new death, 4 more COVID-19 cases in the London area

Health officials reported anotherCOVID-19 deathin Middlesex-London Wednesday, along withfour new cases.

The latest person to die from the virus was a woman in her 80s who was living in a long-term care home in the region, according to the Middlesex London Health Unit (MLHU).

Two of the four new cases are residents of long-term care facilities. The MLHU does not report details on specific seniors' facilities, so the location of the patients is unknown at this time.

Premier Doug Ford is scheduled to make an announcement this afternoon in the wake of adevastating report on conditions inside five Ontario long-term care homeswhere Canadian Armed Forces members are currently serving.

Long-term care residents account for more than 77 per cent of all COVID-19-linked deaths in the province.

The other two cases reported by MLHU Wednesday are not linked to seniors' facilities.

There have now been a total of 52 deaths in Middlesex-London, and 509 cases of coronavirus reported by the health unit.

Local officials say regional approach to restrictions could jeopardize progress

On Wednesday, the provincereported 292 additionalcases of COVID-19, the second consecutiveday wherethegrowth rate of total cases remained at 1.1 per cent.

It comes the same day medical experts acknowledge that the majority of new cases are in the GTA, with the rest of the province doing well at reducing the spread of the virus.

While some health experts are suggesting that the province should consider allowing parts of the province that haven't been as hard hit with the virus to ease more restrictions, Dr. Chris Mackie, the medical officer of health with the MLHU, said that could be detrimental for regions like London.

"The corridor from Windsor to at least Kingston ...is highly integrated in terms of how we live, work and play, so what is happening in one part of that corridor will affect the other parts," he said.

"[London and Middlesex]happen to be in a good position right nowwhere our numbers are relatively low compared to most of the areas around us, but we do not want to put that in jeopardy by opening up additional facilities and potentially tipping the balance of the pandemic here."

Mayor Ed Holder said while he looks forward to more reopening, he recognizes that now is not the time.

"If we reopened certain services in London, suddenly our city becomes the magnetfor those who live in harder hit communities, as much as a couple of hours away, where those services are not readily available," Holder said, adding that before moving forward with loosening restrictions,surrounding regions must also be able tocontain the spread of the virus.

COVID-19 across the region

Southwestern Public Health, which covers St. Thomas and Elgin and Oxford counties, reported no new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday. Of the73 cases confirmed in the region, 60 have been resolved and four people have died.

Officials in Huron-Perth also had no new cases to report. Currently, the region has twoactive cases and has seen 44 recoveries and five deaths over the course of the pandemic.

Ontario has extended its emergency orders until June 9, which means gatherings of fiveor more people are not allowed.