Record 250 new cases of COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex

Windsor-Essex reached a new daily record for cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday while the health unit's top doctor warnedthe virus will be "impossible" to contain if people ignore public health advice over the holidays.

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit reported 250 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday.

It's the second time in less than a week that the dailyrecord was broken. The previous high of 243 was reached on Friday.

The health authority said three more area residents have died due to COVID-19 a man in his 40s, a woman in her 70s, and woman in her 90s who lived in a long-term care home.

Dr. Wajid Ahmed, WECHU medical officer of health, said it was "unfortunate" thatthe region is consistently seeing triple-digit daily case increases but the results were expected based on short-term projections.

"Next week is very critical for us," he said.

Stay home for the holidays, Ahmed says

The health unit stressed the message of staying home for the holidays and not meeting with anyone outside one'shousehold.

"The threat of COVID-19 is still very real," Ahmed said.

With more than 1,300 cases of COVID-19 active in the region, if people ignore public health restrictions, we "definitely run into a situation where containment will be impossible," he said.

More contact tracing resources

Despite the challenge of contact tracing with such high caseloads, WECHU CEO Theresa Marentette said there are no intentions to stop, as has occurred in some other jurisdictions.

"We're using all the resources we can internally, and externally we continue to take the support of the province and onboard others," she said.

More case co-ordinators are coming online as of the week of Jan. 4, she said.

"We'll continue to work as hard as we can. And not all interactions are as timely as we would like them to be but our staff continue to work."

Snapshot of the pandemicin Windsor-Essex

There have been 6,323 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in the region since the start of the pandemic, 1,305 of which remain active.

Of the 250 cases announced Wednesday, 32 are related to outbreaks, 13 are close contacts of confirmed cases, six were community acquired and 199 are nder investigation.

Throughout the region, 76 people are in hospital and 16 in intensive care. A further 129 suspected COVID-19 cases are hospitalized.

There are 34 active outbreaks in the region.

Though schools areclosed, outbreaks remain active at St. Mary French Immersion Catholic Elementary School and L.A. Desmarais Catholic Elementary School.

There are three outbreaks in community settings, Manor Lodge House, Victoria Manor Supportive Living and Assisted Living Southwestern Ontario.

There are 12 workplace outbreaks:

• Four in Leamington's agriculture sector.
• Four in Kingsville's agriculture sector.
• One in Windsor's health care and social assistance sector.
• One in Essex's health care and social assistance sector
• Two in Tecumseh's manufacturing sector.

There are 14 COVID-19 outbreaks at long-term care and retirement homes.

• Sunrise Assisted Living of Windsor with one resident case
• Huron Lodge in Windsor with one resident case
• Richmond Terrace in Amherstburg with one staff case
• Chartwell Classic Oak Park LaSalle with one staff case
• Sun Parlour Home in Leamington with fourstaff cases
• Banwell Gardens Care Centre in Windsor with 31resident and ninestaff cases
• The Shoreview at Riverside with four resident and five staff cases
• La Chaumiere Retirement in Puce with one staff case.
• Extendicare Tecumseh in Tecumseh with 34resident and 19 staff cases.
• Berkshire Care Centre in Windsor with 45resident and 38staff cases.
• The Village at St. Clair in Windsor with 67staff cases and 97 resident cases.
• Country Village in Woodslee with two staff cases and two resident cases.
• Chartwell St. Clair Beach in Tecumseh with 41 resident cases and nine staff cases.
• Village of Aspen Lake in Tecumseh with fourstaff cases and one resident case.