Image

No COVID-19 infections in Lambton despite all-time high in testing

October 10, 2020

Lambton continues to buck the concerning COVID-19 trends in Ontario. But like other regions of the province, people are still waiting a significant amount of time to hear the results from their COVID-19 tests.

While Saturday, the province reported 809 more people infected with the novel coronavirus, Lambton has not reported a single new resident case since Oct. 1. There were just seven cases of COVID-19 in Lambton in all of September.

Last week, five members of a transport ship in Sarnia were diagnosed with the virus however since they do not live in Lambton, they are not counted in the public health unit’s statistics.

While no one has been reported ill, people in Lambton are still getting tested for the virus to work in or enter long-term care facilities or to go back to work or school. The week of Sept. 20 to 26, Lambton registered 3,424 people taking the COVID-19 test – that’s the highest level of testing in the area since the pandemic began.

While the week of Sept. 27 has not been tabulated yet, the statistics show at least 2,100 people were in the testing centers.

But, as in every Ontario community, having the test and getting the test results back are two different stories. On the week of Sept. 20, only 37 per cent of the tests came back in a two-day time frame – the goal for reporting test results.

In a news conference earlier this week, Lambton’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Sudit Ranade, says the processing of the tests is becoming a very big problem. Across the province Saturday 56,138 people were awaiting their test results as the labs continue to be backlogged.

Ranade says the province wants to expand laboratory capacity but it there is a backlog in the supply chain to get the machinery needed. There is also a problem finding qualified laboratory staff.

Share This

Image
Front Page

‘A dangerous precedent’ CKs mayor says removing EA will have ‘devastating impact’

May 23, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Chatham-Kent’s mayor says allowing the York1 Environmental project to move ahead without an Environmental Assessment sets a dangerous precedent. But the Energy Minister and Ministry of Environment staffers continue to say the derelict Dresden dump is an existing landfill and is the quickest option to ease Ontario’s landfill worries in the face of US tariffs. Chatham-Kent Mayor

Read More

Image
Front Page

LCCVI wins AA title at SWOSSAA

May 23, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent The Lancers claimed the AA title at the SWOSSAA Track and Field Championships. Nine LCCVI athletes competing in 14 events have advanced to the West Region finals at Western University May 29 – 30. Meagan Munro, Kole Chapman, Xander Knapp, Campbelle Brown, James Grant, Hunter Campbell, Darius Landon, Jayden Davis-Lumley, and Jamison Helps will represent the Lancers

Read More

Image
Front Page

One charged in crash which killed six year old from Walpole Island

May 23, 2025

Lambton OPP have charged the passenger of a vehicle which crashed near Sombra, killing a young Walpole Island First Nation boy. April 29, just before 7 pm, a vehicle crashed at the intersection of St. Clair Parkway and West Smith Line in Sombra. A six year old died in the crash. Two others were seriously injured but OPP say they

Read More

Image
Front Page

In camera rants shock Lambton councillors

May 22, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent There is more than a little tension around the Lambton County council table recently. It stems from an in camera incident which led to shouting loud enough to be heard in the council chambers. It stems, sources tell The Independent, from the investigation by the Integrity Commissioner into the conduct of Sarnia City/County Councillor Bill Dennis. Nov.

Read More