Who's getting COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex? Young adults

COVID-19 rates in Windsor-Essex have fallen topandemic lows, according to the region's top doctor, but new cases are still popping up, particularly among younger adults.

People in the 20 to 29 age range accounted for 40 per cent of all COVID-19 diagnoses in the last two weeks, Dr. WajidAhmed said Friday, while their vaccination rates are the lowest among all adult age bands. Sixty per cent of 25 to 29-year-olds have had at least one dose, while the rate for 18-24 year oldsis 56 per cent.

The lowest vaccination rate, however,is amongyouth 12 to 17, at 49.6 per cent. Ahmedwants to see that rate increase and encouraged families to book appointments in order to get protected.

Vaccination is "regarded as one of the greatest medical achievements that can protect people from dying," he said.

As of Friday's data, 55.6per cent of adults in the region are fully vaccinated, while 75.1 per cent have at least one dose.

Ahmed said that high vaccination has fuelled a decrease in COVID-19 cases over the last several months. Up to Thursday, the weekly case rate is 4.2per 100,000, which Ahmed said was likely a pandemic low.

He presented the data Friday morning alongside the health unit's new CEO Nicole Dupuis as part of hisweekly epidemiological summary broadcast on YouTube.

26 cases active

On Friday, the daily case count remained in the single digits, with six new cases reported by the public health unit. There are 26 known active cases overall.

Four people are in hospital with COVID-19, and there are two outbreaks, one at the Downtown Mission and another at a manufacturing workplace in Lakeshore.

COVID-19 in Chatham-Kent, Sarnia-Lambton

Lambton Public Health reported one newCOVID-19 cases on Friday, while 14cases are active overall in the region.

In Chatham-Kent, public health officials reported one new case, bringing the active case count in the community from eight to nine.