The CEO of Vision Nursing Home says two residents have died of COVID-19.

Heather Martin confirmed the two latest victims of the novel coronavirus in Lambton were residents of the Sarnia Home. They had been diagnosed April 23, when an outbreak was declared at the non-profit home.

Martin says two staff members had left work after feeling ill. They were tested around the same time as Lambton Public Health began its mass testing of nursing homes. All 207 staff and residents had just been swabbed when Martin says they received the news.

“It was a shock at the end of the day; we had just finished the whole building…and then we got the call from the health unit…there were staff off work already from the building,” she says.

“We had our fingers cross that we had caught it in time.”

Martin says the other two residents who tested positive for the virus are being monitored. One is doing well and the other is being closely watched, she says.

So far, there have been no new cases, and Martin says the home could be out of the outbreak by this weekend if that continues.

“It’s been very hard,” says Martin of the deaths and dealing with the outbreak.

“I don’t have a lot of words that I can say; it breaks our hearts that this is happening. We’ll get through it.

“If anything gives you inspiration it is that the staff have stepped up to give so much of themselves to care for the residents.”

Martin says about 10 workers have moved away from their families and into bachelor apartments at Vision so they can safely care for the residents.

Lambton Public Health says as of late Monday there were 192 cases in the region – three more than Sunday.

Public Health officials say three long term care homes are still dealing with outbreaks, Landmark Village, where 40 people were diagnosed with COVID-19 and six people have died, Sumac Lodge and Vision Nursing home.