London's two latest COVID-19 cases worked while sick: health unit

There have been two additional COVID-19 cases reported in the London region, according to new numbers released by the province this morning. 

One of the two cases is a woman in her 20s who is a healthcare worker at London Health Sciences Centre and had recently travelled to Las Vegas. A release from the Middlesex-London Health Unit states she worked at the hospital while being symptomatic. 

"We are working closely with LHSC and are following up with the patients who were seen at hospital while this staff member was working and also with the colleagues she was working with," says Dr. Alex Summers, the unit's associate medical officer of health, in an online statement.

The second case is a woman in her 40s who recently travelled to St. Maarten. 

She works at the London courthouse but details about her specific job were not released. 

Both women and their close contacts have been told to self-isolate at home for the next two weeks. 

Earlier in the day, a memo was sent to London courthouse staff and stakeholders by Samantha Poisson, director of court operations. The memo stated staff at the courthouse first learned about the employee contracting the virus just after 9 p.m. on Monday, March 16.

It also mentioned the employee was at work between March 9 and 10.

The individual will not be allowed to return to work until they make a full recovery and can be cleared by medical professionals. 

"It was bound to happen," said Andy Rady, president of the London Criminal Lawyers' Association. "I mean, a lot of people come and go from the courthouse."

As a result, the courthouse has closed on Tuesday to allow for thorough cleaning to reduce any risk of exposure to COVID-19.

While the memo suggests the courthouse would reopen on Wednesday, it was sent before the provincial government announced a ban on public gatherings of more than 50 people.