The local death toll from COVID-19 has dropped to 126.
On its website, Lambton Public Health reported the decrease was due to changes in reporting implemented by Public Health Ontario and the Ministry of Health.
Health units across the province have been instructed to exclude cases where the cause of death was unrelated to COVID-19.
"This change applies to cases where COVID-19 did not cause the death or exacerbate the clinical condition that caused the death, for example: those who died of trauma or drug toxicity at the time when they were COVID-19 test positive," said a statement on Lambton Public's Health website.
As a result, the local death toll has gone down by five from 131 to 126.
The health unit reported 50 new lab confirmed cases since Friday's report, for a total of 9,914 since the start of the pandemic two years ago.
There are five COVID-positive patients at Bluewater Health, none in intensive care.
