WINDSOR, ONT. -- The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is reporting 23 new COVID-19 cases in the region and five additional deaths.
WECHU says all of the people who died were from the community – two men in their 60s and three women in their 80s.
The local death toll related to COVID-19 has climbed to 387 people.
Medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed hopes the number of new deaths in the community will decrease once more seniors get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Windsor-Essex residents over 80 years old are eligible to get vaccinated. The clinic at the WFCU Centre inoculated 144 seniors in its first day on Monday. Almost 12,000 residents have pre-registered.
Ahmed is asking for patience as the health unit works on getting the seniors registered and vaccinated.
"We have a long list of people who have pre-registered at this time,” says Ahmed. “We are going though the list as quickly as possible and will continue to schedule people for vaccination," said. "Please be patient with us and those who are getting the vaccine, please continue to follow public health measures."
As of Tuesday morning, 27,835 doses have been administered in the region - 11,569 residents have received two doses and 4,697 have received one dose.
WECHU hopes to vaccinate about 200 residents in the over-80 category a day with the current supply.
Windsor-Essex has had a total of 13,037 confirmed cases of the virus, including 12,370 people who have recovered.
Here’s the breakdown of new cases:
- 3 are close contacts of confirmed cases
- 5 are community acquired
- 5 are related to outbreaks
- 10 are still under investigation.
WECHU says 280 cases are considered active. There are 44 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the hospital and seven people are in the ICU.
There are 11 outbreaks in the region, including two at LTC and retirement homes, five at workplaces, two community outbreaks and two hospital outbreaks.
