Lambton Public Health reported a spike in new COVID-19 cases Thursday.
The health unit reported 24 new infections, the highest daily increase since May 11. There were five more resolved cases recorded, increasing the active case count by 19 to 113.
Bluewater Health is reporting another COVID-related death. It is the 63rd at the Sarnia hospital since the start of the pandemic. Communications Chief Julia Oosterman said the latest death was a man from Chatham.
"For a few weeks we have been helping our regional hospital partners with taking patients from their regions," said Oosterman. "The whole region is facing capacity issues as the Omicron variant has impacted communities quite significantly."
There are 12 COVID-positive patients at Bluewater Health, up four from Wednesday. Oosterman said five of the patients are in the ICU, four are on ventilators.
Since March 2020, there have been 4,575 confirmed cases of the virus in Sarnia-Lambton, 4,384 recoveries and 78 deaths.
There are currently six active outbreaks, unchanged from Wednesday.
