Another 24 people in Lambton County tested positive for COVID-19 according to statistics released Friday.

One of the reasons for the increase in the spread of the virus is an outbreak at the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation. Chief Jason Henry says that as of Friday, there were 34 confirmed cases and more tests outstanding adding until now, the virus was “unchecked” in the community.

Schools have been closed and Henry is urging people to return to the health protocols which they maintained for the first 50 weeks of the pandemic. And he’s urging anyone with symptoms to be tested.

Meantime an outbreak at the Inn of the Good Shepherd Shelter in Sarnia is also growing with six residents now COVID-19 positive. Three staff members also tested positive for the virus.

And at Marshall Gowland Manor in Sarnia, three staff there are COVID-19 positive.

There has been a marked increase in the number of people contracting the virus this week. Lambton Public Health statistics show last week, there were 76 cases in all. In the first five days of this week, there have already been 87.

In all 2,187 people have now tested positive for COVID-19 in Lambton since the beginning of the pandemic with 122 people actively ill, up 16 from Thursday.

Ontario registered 1, 250 new COVID-19 cases today and 22 deaths, bringing the total to 7046.