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Southwestern public health adds 14 new COVID-19 cases in largest single-day increase

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Active COVID-19 cases in the Southwestern public health region ballooned Thursday, with 14 new cases reported in the region’s largest single-day increase since the pandemic began.

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There have now been 136 total cumulative cases of COVID-19 in the region that includes Oxford, Elgin and St. Thomas, of which 46 cases are ongoing. One patient, though, was reported as having recovered.

Many of Thursday’s new cases were again added in Aylmer, though Oxford County also added six new cases.

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There are now 23 active cases in Aylmer. Bayham has six cases, while St. Thomas reports four cases. There is one case in Central Elgin.

In Oxford County, Tillsonburg is reporting seven active cases while there are four in Norwich, an increase of three cases each.

Thursday’s numbers represent an almost 40 per cent increase in the number of active cases over the day before, coming the same day the region enacted a mandatory face-covering policy.

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The policy will apply to all commercial businesses, commercial transportation and public transit. While it comes into effect Thursday night at 11:59 p.m., businesses are extended a one-week grace period to prepare.

Public health officials said they’re taking an “education-first” approach to the mandate, but the face-covering mandate can be enforced by local bylaw officers or police if needed. While the health authority issues the mandate to businesses, municipalities are also encouraged to pass a bylaw to the same effect.

Facing questions about the recent outbreak of cases in small-town Aylmer, Dr. Joyce Lock, the area’s top doctor, said contact tracing has shown cases in the area are coming from several places and cautioned against speculating how transmission was occurring.

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Lock said the recent cases in Aylmer were not connected to one specific event, although the health unit had previously said they were tracing the contacts of 70 people who had attended a funeral for a woman who died of the virus. On Thursday, Lock said cases were emerging within families, workplaces, and from people who had been or had visitors from out of town.

COVID-19

Here’s a rundown of our daily coverage on the Woodstock-area fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic from March, April, May, June and July.

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