Lambton reports 28 more cases

Ontario is recording the lowest number of new COVID-19 in the province since Dec. 28 and public health officials say it may be the first signs the lockdowns are beginning to work.

Before Christmas, as the number of cases began to regularly hit 3,000, the province announced a lockdown which would start Dec. 26. When the number of new cases daily climbed above 3,000 on a consistent basis, Premier Doug Ford declared the second state of emergency Jan. 12 and issued a stay at home order which further limited people’s movements and reduced the number of people in workplaces.

In the last three days, the number of newly infected people has dropped first below the 3,000 level and today dipped below 2,000, with 1,913 new cases being reported in Ontario.

Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams, in a news conference yesterday, suggested this could be the affect of the recent lockdowns. But he muted his comments adding there has not be as much testing in the province in the last few days. Today, Ontario reports there were 34,531 people tested and another 36,750 tests completed but awaiting results.

Williams added he didn’t think lockdown restrictions should be lifted until the number of daily cases dropped below 1,000.

The number of people being hospitalized is still at an all time high with 1,625 people hospitalized Monday, 400 of those in intensive care and nearly 300 on ventilators. Williams has said Ontario’s ICU capacity is precarious and the Ministry of Health has started asking doctors to look at triaging COVID-19 patients for treatment saying that it is possible only those who have a chance of living past one year will be given lifesaving treatment.

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Lambton is still in the double digits with 28 cases in all reported today. Public Health data shows however that only one new case was reported Monday – the rest were results of previous days.

Lambton Public Health says 223 people are actively ill – that’s down 17. There were 44 recoveries noted yesterday. One outbreak in long term care, at Trillium Villa is over.

There are still eight long term care homes dealing with outbreaks. Another staff member at Village on the St. Clair has tested positive for COVID-19. Twenty-two residents and nine staff tested positive for the virus. Two residents have died.

Another staff member at Twin Lakes Terrace is also COVID-19 positive. Sixteen residents and six staff tested positive and public health data shows one of the residents passed away over the weekend.

Vision Nursing Home also has 16 residents and two staff members who are COVID-19 positive.

Across the province there are 1,488 seniors in long term care with COVID-19 and 1,241 staff. Twenty nine more people living in long term care died yesterday bringing the death toll in the second wave to 1,331 in care homes.

There are no new cases reported at the outbreak at High Park Farms in Enniskillen. Seven people – including six who live in bunkhouses on the property – have tested positive for COVID-19.

Four guards at the Sarnia Jail also have COVID-19.