Journal Staff
The COVID-19 pandemic in Sarnia-Lambton appears to have stabilized with no new cases reported for a fifth straight day.
Two more people have recovered, leaving just 11 known and active cases in the community, Lambton Public Health reported this morning.
Bluewater Health said zero patients are being treated in hospital for an eighth straight day, and no new cases have emerged at two institutional outbreaks in Sarnia. One staff member at Afton Park Place and four staff at the hospital are currently in self-isolation.
Since the pandemic began in March, Sarnia-Lambton has had 285 cases and 25 deaths.
Meanwhile, the Ontario government said Wednesday it is extending the provincial emergency declaration until July 15.
"We are hopeful that another extension of the Declaration of Emergency will not be needed as we see improvements in the public health trends and as people and businesses continue to act responsibly and adapt to the new environment,” said Premier Doug Ford.
Thirty-three of 34 Ontario public health areas have completely entered Stage 2 of the province’s reopening plan. Windsor-Essex was the only health unit still at Stage 1, in part because of outbreaks in migrant farm worker populations. The province said most of Windsor-Essex can move to Stage 2 as of today, with only Kingsville and Leamington held back.
Lambton County said EMS will be working with Bluewater Health and the local health unit to offer COVID-19 testing to local farm employers and migrant workers in the coming weeks.