WINDSOR, ONT. -- There are 41 new cases of COVID-19 and seven more people have died, according to the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.

Five of the deaths are from long-term care homes and two are from the community.

The death toll related to COVID-19 has reached 311 people.

As of Friday, Windsor-Essex has had a total of 12,009 confirmed cases of the virus, including 10,977 people who have recovered.

WECHU says 721 cases are considered active. There are 82 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the hospital and nine people are in the ICU.

Medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed gave his weekly epidemiological summary on Friday, noting a continued downward trend in cases.

Based on the weekly wastewater data collected by Glier and the University of Windsor, Ahmed says it appears the curve is flattening. He adds it is a pilot project.Windsor-Essex Wastewater Data

The positivity rate for the region also dropped to 6.2 per cent.That is the fourth highest rate in the province.

Ahmed says he is hopeful the region will be able to move back down to the ‘Red-Control’ zone when the provincial stay-at-home order ends on Feb. 9.

“Just looking at the rates, I anticipate we would be in the red zone,” says Ahmed.

There are 44 outbreaks in the region, including 17 at LTC and retirement homes, 22 at workplaces, and five hospital outbreaks.