Ontario Health Coalition says one senior in long term care dies of COVID-19 every hour

Two Lambton more residents have died of COVID-19.

The information is in the daily statistics released by public health.

The health unit records two more deaths yesterday from COVID-19. One lived at Village on the St. Clair. Three residents of the home have now passed away with the virus.

Another staff member at the home has also tested positive for COVID-19. There are now 26 residents and 12 staff members COVID-19 positive.

Seven long term care homes are in outbreak including Vision Nursing Home, where 22 residents and six staff have tested positive. Sixteen residents and four staff at Twin Lakes Terrace in Sarnia are also ill.

There were just six new cases of COVID-19 in Lambton reported today. It’s only the second time since Dec. 24 that Lambton had fewer than 10 cases reported in one day.

There are 190 people ill with COVID – that’s down 12 from yesterday. Twenty eight more people have recovered.

In Ontario there have been 2,662 new cases in the province and 87 more deaths.

This morning, the Ontario Health Coalition is holding a news conference asking the province to act to improve the situation in long term care. Natalie Mehra says it is expected the number of deaths in long term care in the second wave will surpass the number of deaths in the first wave in two weeks.

She says 170 people are dying each week. That’s more than one person per hour.

“If that doesn’t constitute an emergency, what could possibly constitute an emergency,” she says.

The coalition is calling for a mass recruitment of staff, and fast tracked training, the military to come to help in some of the most serious outbreaks and enforcement of rules through fines and removing licences.