TORONTO -- Five more residents of an Ontario long-term care home battling an outbreak of COVID-19 have died, bringing the total number of deaths to at least 48.
A spokesperson for Camilla Care Community in Mississauga said on Thursday that 62 residents have also tested positive for COVID-19, in addition to 34 employees who are recovering in isolation.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families for their loss. Our thoughts are with their families and loved ones at this time,” Natalie Gokchenian, communications director of Camilla Care Community, said in a statement.
The new deaths reported by the 236-bed facility, located near Queensway West and Hurontario Street, represent a sharp increase from the 21 deaths reported on May 1. It is also three times the number reported on Peel Region’s website as of Thursday morning.
The region’s medical officer of health said the discrepancy is due to a delay in the verification process.
"These fatalities occurred over more than one week, and not suddenly in the last 24 hours. The delay in publishing the Camilla Care data to the peelregion.ca website was due to reporting and verification processes to ensure accuracy,” Dr. Lawrence Lo said.
Gokchenian said that 43 residents and 10 employees have since recovered from COVID-19.
“Thanks to the hard work of our team and health partners, we are now seeing positive progress in the fight against COVID-19.”
Families of residents at Camilla Care Community say they have been frustrated with the lack of communication from the facility’s management. Carol Francis, who is a daughter of a resident at the facility, told CTV News Toronto she thought there were only 16 resident deaths.
“Communicate and let us deal with the reality of it. But no communication, we think the worst,” Francis said. “We're not getting straight answers. And it's Mother's Day this week. And do you know what it's like not to be able to hug her?”
Ed Niedzielski’s mother was a resident of Camilla Care Community and died after contracting COVID-19. He told CTV News Toronto that one day went by and the facility had 27 cases, then 50 cases, then his 101-year-old mother was diagnosed with the disease.
“As much as the death certificate says COVID, respiratory, she died in my opinion of a broken heart because I'd come to visit her twice a week. I hadn't seen her in seven weeks.”
Gokchenian said that staff have been “doing their best” to email and call families.
The long-term care home is operated by Sienna Senior Living, which also oversees Altamont Care Community. As of Thursday, Altamont Care Community reported 46 COVID-19 deaths. A personal support worker who worked at the facility has also died.
Four other long-term care homes in the province are reporting more than 40 deaths – Orchard Villa in Pickering, Eatonville Care Centre in Etobicoke, Forest Heights in Kitchener and Isabel and Arthur Meighen Manor in Toronto.
