One institutional COVID-19 outbreak is over but another has been declared.
Lambton Public Health reported Friday morning that the outbreak at the county-run Lambton Meadowview Villa at Petrolia was declared over Thursday, but a new outbreak was declared at Sarnia's Vision Nursing Home. Two positive cases of COVID-19 are reported among staff at the Wellington Street home but no residents were reported to be infected as of Friday morning.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Sudit Ranade told an 11 a.m. media briefing that Vision had been scheduled for a screening as part of the province's testing blitz in long-term care homes.
"So that happened, I believe [Thursday]," said Ranade. "I can't verify how complete it was, but I know that many or most of the residents had been tested [Thursday]. So that's going to give us a good picture as the days go on with the results coming in."
One staff member tested positive at the Petrolia home, and an outbreak was declared April 15, but no other cases were confirmed following ramped-up testing.
Sarnia's Landmark Village still had 39 cases, including nine staff with six of the county's 14 deaths linked to that facility.
Dr. Ranade told Sue Storr on CHOK (103.9 FM, 1070 AM) Friday morning that most of the results from testing at Landmark and Meadowview Villa have come back.
"I think for Landmark we might have been waiting on two or three but I think most of them have come back by now," said Ranade. "With Lambton Meadowview, it was very reassuring, we didn't receive any more positives and we have been able to declare the outbreak over. With Landmark, there were some more positive cases that came through and we're investigating those. It's not unexpected given that there had already been so many cases in the place."
Sarnia-Lambton's case count increased by five to 164 Friday but the number of deaths remained at 14 and 66 people had recovered.
Bluewater Health reported Friday that 13 patients were still in hospital with the virus, and nine were suspected of having it with tests pending.
-With files from Sue Storr