Number of local COVID-19 deaths has risen to 16

Journal Staff One more person has died of COVID-19, bringing Sarnia-Lambton’s death toll to 16, Lambton Public Health said this morning.

Journal Staff

One more person has died of COVID-19, bringing Sarnia-Lambton’s death toll to 16, Lambton Public Health said this morning.

The latest death, like the 15th reported Tuesday, is part of the outbreak at Vision Nursing Home, where four residents and two staff members have tested positive.

Half of the 16 deaths have involved Sarnia senior facilities.

An outbreak at Sumac Lodge was declared over today and new cases are reported at Landmark Village, where 40 residents and staff were infected.

The number of total COVID-19 cases remained unchanged today at 192, even with additional 415 test results received.

Of the 3,469 people tested so far 6% have been positive for the virus.

The Ontario government said today it is extending all emergency orders another week to May 19.

The emergency declaration currently in effect was set to expire on May 12.

Meanwhile, the situation at Bluewater Health continues to improve. Nine patients confirmed with COVID-19 are currently being treated, down from a peak of 32 on April 5-6.

The hospital, with sites in Sarnia and Petrolia, could scale up to 500 beds if needed, said spokesperson Julia Oosterman.

That total does not include a 150-bed emergency field hospital at Lambton College that hasn’t been needed so far.

The hospital is currently running at 50% capacity, she said.

On its busiest day during the pandemic, six patients required the assistance of a ventilator. Bluewater Health has 16 ventilators in the intensive care unit and 26 in total.