COVID-19 outbreak declared at University Hospital in London, Ont. | CBC News

The London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) has confirmed a new outbreak of COVID-19 at University Hospital. 

There are fewer than five cases of the virus in the hospital’s 8TU transplant unit. The outbreak was first declared on Sunday. 

It is not yet known if the infections are among staff or patients.

LHSC said unit-level outbreaks for COVID-19 are called when there are two or more confirmed positive cases among patients or staff that could have been acquired on the unit. 

The hospital network is currently caring for 16 inpatients with COVID-19, including eight patients in critical care.

There have been 12 previous COVID-19 outbreaks at University Hospital across multiple floors between November and March, where nearly 200 patients and staff contract coronavirus and 23 people died.

There have been two outbreaks at Victoria Hospital, which involved fewer than five patients, fewer than five staff and no deaths.

Middlesex-London logged 12 new COVID-19 infections over the weekend, with seven new cases reported on Saturday and five on Sunday, according to the health unit.

There have been no additional deaths reported in the health region since Friday.