Half of Ontario’s new cases among Windsor-Essex farm workers

A COVID-19 testing blitz of farm workers in Windsor-Essex is accounting for half the number of new cases in Ontario.

The province reported 170 new cases Thursday — 86 of which are in Windsor-Essex.

Premier Doug Ford told reporters “we have a complete team down there from Ontario Health, public health, (and) emergency services from the province” testing the temporary employees who work on farms and at greenhouses.

“The farmers are co-operating. The workers are co-operating. So, it’s all hands on-deck down there. I’m going to be down there next week,” said Ford.

Dr. David Williams, the province’s chief medical officer of health, stressed it is critical to keep on top of the situation because the workers live in shared quarters where the virus can easily spread.

“All the concerted effort, as the premier always talks about, is one foremost to protect the health and safety of all the workers, including our migrant farm workers and transitory temporary workers from Ontario and around the area,” Williams said.

There were three more deaths reported, down from nine on Wednesday. The province says 2,703 people have succumbed to the virus since the pandemic took hold in March, but the Star has determined there have been at least 2,742 COVID deaths.

That difference of 39 fatalities is because early in the pandemic some deaths were not included since COVID-19 tests had not been conducted before the people — elderly residents of long-term-care homes — passed away.

The government says there have been 36,348 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ontario. But as of 5 p.m. Thursday, a Star tally of regional public health units has found 38,352 cases.

The Star’s count includes some patients reported as “probable” COVID-19 cases, meaning they have symptoms and contacts or travel history that indicate they very likely have the disease, but have not yet received a positive lab test.