CBC Windsor July 23 COVID-19 update: 27 new cases today
Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent see spikes in cases this week
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit reported 27 new cases of COVID-19 in our region Thursday.
Another 13 cases have been contracted through community spread, eight people are farms workers, two are health-care workers, and four cases are still being investigated by the health unit.
On Wednesday, the health unit reported 27 new COVID-19 cases for our region, with 14 people contracting the virus from community spread, eight farm workers, one local health-care worker, and four cases under investigation.
Medical officer of health, Dr. Wajid Ahmed, said he is concerned about the uptick in people contracting the virus from one another, also known as "community spread."
"Even from a social circle perspective ... we know there are people now gathering and having group social gatherings with a large number of people and that's something I think we need to be concerned about," he said.
Many Windsorites have told CBC News they are concerned about spread within the community, including June Laforet who said she's upset to see how COVID-19 has changed the way she lives, but is perfectly happy to stay home and keep busy if it will help stop the spread of the disease.
"I get so depressed and sad because you can't do anything you used to, but when you think of the consequences, at least you can afford to be sad and healthy," she said.
Yet, Laforet said she's noticed other people in the community aren't doing their part.
"More and more people aren't doing what they're supposed to and more and more people are going to get sick, and I think it's so terrible," she said.
READ MORE | Here's how Windsorites feel about the spread of COVID-19 happening right now
Two seniors homes in the area are currently under a COVID-19 outbreak.
Augustine Villas retirement home in Kingsville has one staff member who tested positive for COVID-19. Village of Aspen Lake in Tecumseh is back under outbreak after one staff member tested positive for COVID-19 there.
WATCH | The health unit's COVID-19 update for July 23:
There are now ten workplaces currently under a COVID-19 outbreak.
Two are in the manufacturing sector — one located in Windsor and one in Leamington. Eight other workplaces are in the agricultural sector and are located in Kingsville and Leamington.
The health unit does not name businesses under an outbreak unless there is a risk to public health, say officials.
Migrant worker isolation centre opens at Windsor Holiday Inn
A second isolation site for migrant workers exposed to COVID-19 has opened in Windsor-Essex at a Holiday Inn hotel.
In addition to the Best Western in Leamington that started housing isolating migrant workers a few weeks ago, a Holiday Inn in Windsor is now also being used as an isolation centre.
The hotel started accepting workers who tested positive themselves or had been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, according to Leianne Musselman, communications director for the Canadian Red Cross.
The Canadian Red Cross is overseeing both isolation centres, which have a total of 140 workers, and the agency is also managing the overall care of the workers in isolation, Musselman said.
"This is an evolving situation, everyday something is different and things are changing," Musselman said. "The Red Cross is there and ready to support and expected to continue to support for as long as we're needed there."
COVID-19 in Sarnia-Lambton
Lambton Public Health reported no new cases of COVID-19 in the region. There have been 292 total cases and overall, there have been 25 deaths.
Another 261 people have recovered.
Sarnia-Lambton moves into Stage 3 of reopening on Friday.
COVID-19 in Chatham-Kent
Chatham-Kent's health unit is reporting one new case of COVID-19. The area has had 198 total cases.
One person is in hospital and 31 others are self-isolating with the disease.
In Chatham-Kent, one person has died due to COVID-19 and 165 people have recovered.
