Health unit is reporting three new COVID deaths

Three more people have died of COVID-19 in Windsor and Essex County, according to the local health unit's latest update on Tuesday.

A man in his 70s and a man in his 80s — both from the community — and a woman in her 80s from a retirement or long-term care home have died, Tuesday's update from the Windsor-essex County Health Unit shows. The total number of COVID-19 deaths in the region stands at 613.

The health unit reported 58 new high risk COVID -19 cases in the region Tuesday, numbers generally consistent with the daily number of new cases the region has seen since Friday. Including cases now considered recovered, there are 254 active high risk cases in the region, an increase of one case since Monday.

Because of testing limits, the health unit notes only high risk individuals are tested for COVID -19 and official numbers undercount the burden of cases in the community.

There are four people in intensive care with COVID-19, and 49 people are in hospital with the coronavirus. The health unit is also reporting 25 active outbreaks in the community, including 18 in long-term care or retirement homes, three in hospital units, one at a workplace and three in the general community.

Vaccination data for the region have remained consistent in recent weeks, with about 84 per cent of residents five or older having received two doses of COVID -19 vaccine, and about half of residents 12 or older with an additional booster dose.

Eligibility for a fourth dose is limited to those who are immune-compromised, people 60 or older and Indigenous adults. As of Tuesday, more than 18,000 people have received a fourth dose.

The health unit will update the community 's COVID -19 data dashboard on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting next week, and will hold virtual media briefings every other Thursday rather than weekly.