Journal staff

The number of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in Sarnia-Lambton has climbed to 56, and six deaths, as of Wednesday afternoon.

The data was posted to Lambton Public Health’s website as of 3:45 p.m.

Four of the six deaths are linked to Landmark Village seniors’ home in Sarnia, while 11 of those infected are residents or workers from the home.

Of the two new deaths reported Wednesday, both were admitted to hospital March 30 and died the following day; lab tests confirmed COVID-19. Patients were in their 70s and 80s.

Twenty-one confirmed COVID-19 patients are currently being treated at Bluewater Health, while another 14 patients believed to be infected are awaiting test results, according to the hospital’s COVID-19 information site.

Of those, six patients with COVID-19 infection are being treated in the intensive care unit, and five are on ventilators, Bluewater Health told The Journal Wednesday.

The hospital has 16 ventilators in the ICU and 26 in total. A regional warehouse has more if demand increases.

Lambton’s Medical Officer of Health said the arrival of the virus in Sarnia-Lambton and its transmission within the community are still under investigation.

It has said some early cases are linked to group travel to Europe, family and faith community gatherings, and “a limited number of occupational settings.”

“Until we can verify there is actual meaningful evidence of transmission in those settings, it’s very difficult to confirm that that might be true,” Dr. Sudit Ranade said Wednesday.

He added a report is coming.

“We definitely don’t want to support rumours about what may have happened or where transmission may have occurred.”

He also warned people can develop a false sense of security if they’re not connected to gatherings at which the virus is believed to have spread.

Bluewater Health has 14 ICU beds, can surge to 16 beds, and has the ability to expand if the pandemic worsens and the number of seriously ill patients increases, the hospital said.

The area’s first two cases were reported one week ago.

Quick Stats:

March 25: 5 cases (+5)

March 26: 5 cases (+0) 3 death (+3)

March 27: 8 cases (+3) 4 death (+1)

March 29: 21 cases (+13)

March 30: 28 cases (+7)

March 31: 39 cases (+11)

April 1: 56 cases (+17) 6 deaths (+2) (4 discharged from hospital)