Another 253 high risk COVID cases reported

18 active outbreaks in long-term care or retirement homes, health unit says

More than 250 people in Windsor-essex County were diagnosed with high risk COVID-19 over a five-day period, the local health unit reported Tuesday.

With new data being released less frequently by the Windsor-essex County Health Unit, public health officials reported 253 new cases in the region between last Thursday and Tuesday.

One more person, a man in his 70s from the community, also died of COVID-19 during the same period, bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths to 619 since the beginning of the pandemic.

With in-lab testing across the province limited to specific high risk individuals, the health unit says the official case numbers undercount the true burden of COVID-19 in the community.

Including new cases, there are currently 200 active high risk cases, down from 216 on May 5. There are 32 people in hospital with COVID -19, including three people in intensive care. There were 44 people in hospital on May 5.

Three outbreaks of COVID -19 on hospital units reported last Thursday have been resolved, the health unit reports. There are currently 22 active outbreaks in the region, including 18 outbreaks in longterm care or retirement homes.

About 84 per cent of Windsor and Essex County residents aged five or older have received both doses of their vaccines, according to the health unit, while about 52 per cent of people aged 12 or older have received a third booster dose.

Adults 60 or older, immune-compromised individuals and Indigenous adults are all eligible under provincial guidelines for a fourth COVID-19 dose.

The Windsor-essex County Health Unit has administered nearly 22,000 fourth doses to date.

Health officials this week began updating official data on Tuesdays and Thursdays instead of daily, while the next scheduled media briefing will be on Thursday, May 19.