WINDSOR, ONT. -- The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit says two more people have died related to COVID-19 in the region.
As of Wednesday morning, there were 665 cases, including nine new cases and 229 recovered.
A total of 57 people have died in Windsor-Essex related to the virus.
Windsor-Essex medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed says the latest deaths were a man in his 80s and a woman in her 90s. They were both residents of long-term care homes.
Ten long-term care homes in the region are experiencing outbreaks. That is the highest number of outbreaks so far.
Ahmed says just one facility has transferred patients to the field hospital.
The two new homes were put in outbreak status due to a staff member getting COVID-19.
“The assumption is that they were acquired when they are out in the community,” says Ahmed.
With help from Essex-Windsor EMS, the WECHU began testing in long-term care and retirement homes April 10. Before that, homes conducted their own swabbing of symptomatic residents on site.
Beginning with facilities in outbreak, EMS and a WECHU nurse practitioner have been testing staff and residents.
“We are grateful to our healthcare partners for their unwavering commitment and support. Working with EWEMS for onsite testing has been a seamless and welcomed collaboration,” says Ahmed.
Health unit officials say despite an inconsistent supply of swabs for COVID-19 testing, to date 19 facilities have been tested and the WECHU anticipates that all 44 will be reached by the provincial target of May 15.
“EWEMS is proud to be a member of a collaborative and regional team in completing the mass long-term care COVID testing,”says Chief Bruce Krauter, Essex-Windsor EMS. “Working alongside WECHU, HDGH, ESHC, and WRH, we not only met the directive of the province but exceeded all expectations.”
Overall, 9,027 people have been tested in the region and 1,343 tests are pending.
In Chatham-Kent, there were 89 positive COVID-19 cases reported as of Wednesday morning.
