COVID-19 outbreaks, cases continue to drop in Windsor-Essex

COVID-19 outbreaks and case counts continue to decline in Windsor-Essex, bringing the region to itspre-lockdownstate.

The health unit announced 26 newly diagnosed cases of the disease Wednesday and also announced the death of a worker in a long term care home.

Of thosenew cases,eight are close contacts of confirmed cases, six cases are outbreak related, two were community acquired and the remainder are under investigation.

As of Wednesday, the number of coronavirus cases active in Windsor-Essex stoodat 297. It's the first time since Nov.22 that the number of current infectionsfellbelow 300.

The number of people in hospital for COVID-19, which once was above 100, has dropped to 45 as of Wednesday's update. Eleven people are in intensive care.

Seniors' home worker dies

Theresa Marentette, CEO of the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, also announced thata seniors' homeemployeehad died after contracting COVID-19.

Judy Hawkins, an activity assistant at Shoreview at Riverside, was 64 years old and died on Monday.

The death comes as the health unit gets closer to fully vaccinating workers, residents and essential caregivers at seniors' homes.A round of second doses of the Modernavaccine at long-term care and retirement homes is expected to be complete next week.

"It is unfortunate and it's very sad," Marentette said. "And that issomething we continue to see every day, the deaths continue to occur."

The woman'sdeath was one of three announced on Wednesday, bringing the total number of people who have died of COVID-19 to 348. The two others who died recently were both in their 80s, a man living in the community and a woman at a long-term care home.

The long-term care workeris the second seniors' home employeein Windsor-Essex who haslost their life to COVID-19.

Personal support worker Sheila Yakovishin, who worked at Berkshire Care Centre, died on Dec. 31.

In total, 225 deaths have occurred in long-term care and retirement homes since the pandemic began. The number of outbreaks is decreasing in recent days but as of a month ago there wereabout 20homes in outbreak, nearly half of all those in the region.

Marentette said there are many mechanisms and directives in place to protectworkers and residents from the virus, and the health unit has seen compliance with those measures.

"In Windsor and Essex County, I do think that everyone is doing their best and unfortunately this is a vulnerable population and we continue to see people impacted by COVID once it enters a home," she said.

Active outbreaks

There are 22active COVID-19 outbreaks throughout the region.

There are active outbreaks at Windsor Regional Hospital and Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. An outbreakKensingtonat Court Retirement Residence is active as well.

Outbreaks areactive at nineworkplaces:

• Three in Leamington's agriculturalsector.
• One in Kingsville's agriculturalsector.
• One in Tecumseh'shealth care and social assistance sector.
• Twoin Windsor's manufacturing sector.
• Two in Tecumseh's manufacturing sector.
• One in a personalservice setting in Windsor.

There are nineactive outbreaks at long-term care and retirement facilities:

• Franklin Gardens in Leamington, with 34resident cases and 14staff cases.
• Heron Terrace in Windsor, with tworesident cases and twostaff cases.
• Regency Park in Windsor, with 23resident cases and 15staff cases.
• Devonshire Retirement Residence in Windsor, with 48resident cases and ninestaff cases.
• Rosewood Erie Glen in Leamington,with 42resident cases and 10staff cases.
• Augustine Villas in Kingsville, with 66resident cases and 20staff cases.
• Sunrise Assisted Living of Windsor, with 15resident cases and ninestaff cases.
• Huron Lodge in Windsor, with 48resident cases and 26staff cases.
• The Village at St. Clair in Windsor, with 175resident cases and 139staff cases.