WINDSOR, ONT. -- The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is reporting 163 new COVID-19 cases in the region on Wednesday.

Windsor-Essex has had a total of 7,374 confirmed cases of the virus, including 5,431 people who have recovered.

There are 1,814 active cases. Ninety people with confirmed cases are in the hospital and 19 are in the ICU. There are 130 suspected cases in the hospital.

Medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed says despite the high numbers, there is hope.

“As we continue to see an unprecedented number of COVID-19 cases in our region, there’s also some good news to share,” says Ahmed. “Because of our high case rate, Windsor-Essex County is one of the priority areas for rolling out the COVID-19 vaccination.”

WECHU expects to receive the first Moderna COVID-19 vaccine shipment Wednesday and start immunization at long-term care and retirement homes on Monday, Jan. 4. The first Pfizer vaccine was administered in Windsor on Dec. 22.

Here’s the breakdown of new cases:

  • 34 cases are outbreak related
  • 2 cases are close contacts of confirmed cases
  • 2 cases are community acquired
  • 125 cases are still under investigation

There are 42 outbreaks in the region:

  • 16 long-term care or retirement homes
  • 17 workplaces
  • 4 community
  • 3 hospital outbreaks
  • 3 schools

There were no additional deaths. The death toll related to COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex has reached 129. Seventy-nine deaths are related to residents in long-term care and retirement homes and two are related to migrant workers.