OTTAWA —
Three more residents have died from COVID-19 complications at an Almonte long-term care home.

The three new deaths bring the total number of coronavirus deaths at Almonte Country Haven to 14, the capital region’s deadliest outbreak of the virus.

Our thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones,” administrator Carolyn Della Foresta said in an email to residents’ families.

In addition, the number of positive cases at the 82-bed home has increased to 36, she said. That’s up from 21 cases on Saturday.

This is due to expanded testing criteria, she said, including testing residents without symptoms who had been in close proximitiy to those with a positive test.

The email said all residents who have not yet been tested will be swabbed.

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Public Health is also going to start re-testing residents who initially tested positive for the virus, but who aren’t currently exhibiting symptoms 14 days after their initial symptoms.

“We commend Public Health for expanding their testing criteria to include all residents and retest those who are feeling better,” Della Foresta said.