1 new death, 158 new COVID-19 cases reported in Windsor-Essex since Friday

London, Ont. -

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is reporting 158 new cases of COVID-19 since Friday.

Of those 158 cases: 33 cases were reported on Saturday, 91 cases on Sunday and 34 cases on Monday.

Windsor-Essex has a total of 17,658 confirmed cases of the virus, including 16,600 people who have recovered.

“We continue to be concerned with the high case rates in our community. As the fourth wave is upon us, it is critical that we do not forget the public health measures that helped us through the first three waves of this pandemic,” a statement from medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed said. “Actions like staying home if you are sick, following face covering guidelines, washing or sanitizing your hands often, and limiting your close contacts will help to keep you safe and slow the spread of this virus. The best way to ensure your own safety as well as that of those around you is to get vaccinated as soon as possible”

BREAKDOWN OF NEW CASES:

• 49 cases are close contacts of confirmed cases
• 30 cases are community acquired
• 5 cases are travel related
• 69 cases are still under investigation

WECHU says 391 cases are currently active:

• 202 variants of concern (VOC) cases are active
• 189 non-VOC cases are active.

There have been 2,510 preliminary or confirmed variant of concern cases identified in Windsor-Essex.

The health unit says there are nine confirmed COVID-19 cases in the hospital in the region.

“Ninety, 95 per cent, eight out of nine patients in the hospital are unvaccinated,” Windsor Regional Hospital CEO David Musyj said. “And unfortunately our last two deaths in the hospital because of COVID were totally unvaccinated.”

He said its feeling “eerily similar” to what was experienced at the start of the second wave with community numbers quickly increasing and encourages anyone with symptoms to get tested.

“You can book, get swabbed if you’re symptomatic because finding out if you’re positive for COVID will hopefully help stem the tie to the spread as well,” he says. “Don’t ignore it.”

There are seven workplace outbreaks in Windsor-Essex.

The death toll related to COVID-19 is at 439 people.

Musyj is urging anyone who has yet to receive the COVID-19 shot to do so, noting the local vaccination rates are on the low side.

“Vaccines work however our vaccine rates in Windsor-Essex are even lower than province. They’re not where they need to be. especially for that 12-29 age group,” he says.

Musyj says roughly 50 per cent of the 12-29 age group are vaccinated.

“It will prevent you from getting you into critical care, it will prevent your death. So get vaccinated if you care about yourself. Get vaccinated if you care about your loved ones,” he says.

WINDSOR-ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS VACCINATED:

• 297,135 WEC residents have received at least one dose of a vaccine
• 27,821 WEC residents have received only 1 dose of a vaccine
• 269,314 WEC residents have received both doses of a vaccine

A total of 566,499 doses have been administered to WEC residents

• 77.5 per cent of WEC residents 12+ have received at least 1 dose
• 69.9 per cent of WEC residents 12+ are fully vaccinated

- With files from CTV Windsor's Alana Hadadean