Skip to content

UPDATE: Outbreak of Covid-19 spreading at Sarnia Jail; vaccine rollout continues

Tara Jeffrey An outbreak of covid-19 declared Sunday at the Sarnia Jail has grown to include 14 cases, according to Lambton Public Health.
ColGeorge

Tara Jeffrey

An outbreak of covid-19 declared Sunday at the Sarnia Jail has grown to include 14 cases, according to Lambton Public Health.

The positive cases include 13 inmates and one staff member, the health unit reported in its daily update, Wednesday.

“Any inmate that tests positive for COVID-19 is placed under droplet precautions and isolated from the rest of the inmate population while they receive appropriate medical care,” said Andrew Morrison, spokesperson for the Ministry of the Solicitor General. "The ministry continues to work with local public health authorities to complete contact tracing, and voluntary testing of inmates is ongoing.”

Nine new cases of the virus were reported Wednesday, bringing Lambton’s total caseload to 1887; currently, 51 cases are considered ‘active.’ The number of deaths remained unchanged at 44, while Bluewater Health reported one covid-positive patient in hospital on its website, Wednesday.

Eight outbreaks are currently active -- that includes five long-term care/retirement homes and two unnamed workplaces, in addition to the Sarnia Jail.

The health unit is also reporting that 739 first-dose vaccinations have now been administered in Lambton. Two small shipments of the Moderna vaccine arrived Friday, Feb. 5, and Monday, Feb. 8, according to the latest update from Lambton's Covid-19 Immunization Task Force -- for a total of 700 additional doses.

"This week the Mobile Immunization Team is administering doses of the vaccine to the first of the phase 1 priority groups including long-term care and high-risk retirement home residents, and Indigenous Elder Care residents," a news release stated.
 

Join the Community: Receive Our Daily News Email for Free