Samantha Chowieri: Latest News

Staffing problems played role in COVID-19 crisis at Residence Herron, manager tells inquiry Kamel told the inquiry she slept badly Wednesday night, noting that the families of residents who died at the facility have unanswered questions and heard contradictory testimony regarding what happened at the care home.The inquiry has heard that regional health authorities arrived on March 29, 2020, to find residents dehydrated, unfed and soiled.The inquiry into Herron was set to close Thursday with the cross-examination of owner Samantha Chowieri, but the coroner says three more dates will be added at the end of October to hear from at least four other witnesses.

COVID-19 deaths in the province.In the recordings published Wednesday by La Presse, a panicked Samantha Chowieri and her husband call twice to the non-urgent health line, telling a nurse they are seeking a mass testing of residents.They say they are not getting any response from regional health officials and make clear there is no staff left to feed, hydrate and care for residents. Email reveals Quebec ministers knew earlier about Herron care home tragedy On Tuesday, Radio-Canada reported on an email tabled into evidence at the inquiry revealing that cabinet ministers knew about the dire situation at the Herron care home at least 10 days earlier than they had previously acknowledged.The March 29, 2020, email is labelled “URGENT” and warns the chief of staff to Seniors Minister Marguerite Blais that there were “almost no more staff” to care for Herron’s 154 residents.The email was reportedly forwarded to Blais that same night, while the health minister at the time, Danielle McCann, received a briefing on the situation the following day.