Medical officer of health expresses alarm at high infection rate in Windsor-essex

The weekly COVID-19 case rate in Windsor and Essex County once again topped the rest of Ontario on Tuesday, as the region reported 157 new infections and two more deaths.

A man in his 70s, who lived in long-term care died as a result of the virus, as did a woman in her 70s who lived in the general community. Their passing brings the total number of deaths in the region up to 129.

Since Dec. 1, 49 people who tested positive have died.

In the past seven days, the Windsor-essex County Health Unit has reported 278 cases per 100,000 population, more than any other health unit jurisdiction in the province. Peel Public Health's reports come second, with 193 cases per 100,000 people.

“The case rate that we're seeing right now is very concerning for all of us,” medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed said.

“Every day, we look at this case rate and we are just shaking our head.”

He hopes cases will begin to decline, he said, with single-day increases in the double digits instead of the triple digits, “but right now, it looks very distant.”

Since March, 7,211 local residents have tested positive for COVID-19. Of those, 1,797 cases are active and being monitored by the health unit. While 5,285 cases are considered resolved, some of those individuals may be experiencing lasting effects of the disease.

Local hospitals have 79 patients with confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 17 of them in the intensive care unit. An additional 131 patients have suspected cases of COVID-19 and are awaiting test results.

Windsor-essex also has the highest positivity rate in the province, with nearly 10 per cent of COVID-19 tests coming back positive.

The most up-to-date testing data from the Ontario Laboratories Information System shows more than 1,600 tests were completed locally on Dec. 16. Data for the following days has not yet been made available.

There are 44 locations in Windsor-essex with active outbreaks, including 17 workplace and 17 longterm care and retirement homes.

Although 10 agri-farms in Leamington and Kingsville are experiencing outbreaks, the spread of COVID-19 among migrant farm workers has been fairly well contained, Ahmed said. Unlike during the first wave of the pandemic, when more than half of all cases were farm workers, infections are far more limited in the agricultural sector now, with 59 active cases — roughly three per cent of the active cases in Windsor-essex — currently among farm workers.

The farm workers who have tested positive are currently self-isolating, and the health unit is “working with them directly,” as are other local parters who are assisting with testing, self-isolation, recovery, and health assessment, Ahmed said.

“The number (of farm cases) is not as bad as it was in the summer — this time around, in the second wave, the cases are coming from everywhere,” he said.

A new outbreak was declared on Monday at Chateau Park, a retirement home in Windsor where three staff members have tested positive.

Also in Windsor, there are outbreaks at Riverside Place, Brouillette Manor, Sunrise Assisted Living of Windsor, Huron Lodge, Banwell Gardens Care Centre, The Shoreview at Riverside, Berkshire Care Centre, The Village at St. Clair and Village of Aspen Lake.

In Tecumseh, outbreaks are active at Chartwell St. Clair Beach and Extendicare Tecumseh, and

The number (of farm cases) is not as bad as it was in the summer.

in Leamington at Leamington Mennonite Home and Sun Parlor Home. There are also outbreaks at Augustine Villas in Kingsville, Chartwell Classic Oak Park in LaSalle, and La Chaumiere Retirement in Lakeshore.

Windsor Regional Hospital is managing outbreaks on the 4N and 6N floors of its Met campus, and Hotel-dieu Grace Healthcare has an active outbreak at its Prince Road facility.

There are community outbreaks at the Salvation Army Centre of Hope, Assisted Living Southwestern Ontario, Manor Lodge House and Victoria Manor.

Immaculate Conception Catholic School and St. Mary French Immersion Catholic Elementary School have active outbreaks although they're currently closed.