WINDSOR, ONT. -- The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is reporting 53 new COVID-19 cases in the region and has the highest rate of cases in the province.
The health unit says 43 cases are in the agri-farm sector, five cases are in the community and five are still under investigation.
There are 15 people in the hospital.
As of Friday, there have been 2,144 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex, including 1,365 people who have recovered.
Windsor-Essex has highest number of cases in province per 100,000 population, at 484. The provincial average is 257. Toronto is second highest per capita at 448.
“It is definitely stressful, concerning,” says Windsor-Essex medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed. “We have been dealing with this for some time now.”
It is nearing the end of Week 30 since WECHU began tracking COVID-19 in the region.
This is the twelfth straight day of double-digit increases in new cases in the area.
Ahmed said the health unit has considered rebooting the mobile testing units in the community, but the resources are being put towards the agri-farm sector.
“Right now the focus is on the case and contact management in the agricultural sector,” says Ahmed.
Windsor-Essex also has the highest number of new cases in Ontario on Friday. The province is reporting 195 new cases. The second highest is Toronto with 31 new cases.
There are 10 workplaces experiencing outbreaks - one manufacturing facility in Windsor, one manufacturing facility in Leamington, six agricultural facilities in Kingsville and two agricultural facilities in Leamington.
There are currently three long-term care or retirement homes in outbreak status – Village of Aspen Lakes and Augustine Villas in Kingsville and Chartwell in Leamington.
The number of deaths related to the virus in Windsor-Essex remains at 69. Forty-nine deaths have occurred among residents in long-term care homes and two are related to migrant workers.
Chatham-Kent Public Health is reporting 13 new cases on Friday. .
