CBC Windsor July 29 COVID-19 update: Windsor-Essex to remain in Stage 2

The Ontario government announced Wednesday morning that Windsor-Essex will be the only region in the province to remain in Stage 2 of reopening, due to the high rate of COVID-19 in the area. 

The news comes as the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit reported 30 new cases of the disease in the region, and that another person has died. That is two new deaths due to the disease in two days. 

A woman in her 80s who was in hospital died on Tuesday. 

Of the new cases reported today, 14 individuals contracted the virus in the community, three are farm workers and 13 are under investigation. 

Medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed said he spoke with provincial officials Tuesday night to discuss the situation in Windsor-Essex. 

“The province does not want to move us into Stage 3 too soon and then have to move us back,” said Ahmed. 

Challenges that have rose after other regions entered Stage 3, the rise of local cases and the number of people that have now been hospitalized are all factors as to why our area has been held back. 

Ahmed said officials will review the numbers in a few days, hoping to see the local rates on par with the provincial average. 

The health unit reported 30 new COVID-19 cases in Windsor-Essex on July 29. (Windsor-Essex County Health Unit)

In a press statement, the Ontario government said officials would “continue to monitor local trends of key public health indicators in the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit region and move it into Stage 3 when it is safe to do so.”

The province said they would continue on-site farm testing, deploy mobile testing units if necessary and adopt “new public health guidance for positive asymptomatic workers for all workplaces” in our region. 

There have been 2,275 COVID-19 cases in Windsor-Essex so far with 1,440 of those cases now resolved.

On Friday, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit reported that the area has the highest rate of COVID-19 in the province.

Although the high rate is attributed to outbreaks on farms, Ahmed said the spread among close contacts in Windsor is on the rise.  He said there are as many as five or six contacts per household that is leading to new cases as well. 

“People are not monitoring their symptoms and if they are sick, they are going to work,” he said. “Nobody is asking you to not meet anyone … but meet them in a safe manner ensuring physical distancing.” 

WATCH | The health unit’s COVID-19 update for July 29:

On Tuesday, the health unit reported 24 new COVID-19 cases for our region and that a man has died. 

Officials say the man in his 70s died due to respiratory complications. He had been admitted to hospital in mid-July with COVID-19 and later was transferred to the ICU. The man had underlying health conditions. 

There are currently 12 workplaces under a COVID-19 outbreak, which means two or more employees have tested positive for the disease.

That includes one construction company in Windsor, one manufacturing workplace in Tecumseh, one in Kingsville, one in Leamington and two in Windsor.

There are also six outbreaks in the agricultural sector in Leamington and Kingsville. So far, there have been 1,061 total cases of the virus detected among workers in the agri-farm sector. 

Three long-term care facilities and retirement homes are also experiencing outbreaks in the region.

Chartwell in Leamington has two staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19. The Village of Aspen Lake in Windsor and Kingsville’s Augustine Villas also have two staff members each who tested positive. 

COVID-19 in Sarnia-Lambton

Lambton Public Health reported no new cases of COVID-19 in the region. There have been 299 total cases and overall, there have been 25 deaths. 

Another 263 people have recovered.

COVID-19 in Chatham-Kent

Chatham-Kent’s health unit is reporting seven new cases of COVID-19. The area has had 233 total cases.

One person is in hospital and 49 others are self-isolating with the disease. 

In Chatham-Kent, one person has died due to COVID-19 and 182 people have recovered. 

As of Wednesday, those using CK Transit services are required to wear a face mask. CK Health says with the removal of seating restrictions, it will be harder for people to physically distance from one another.