New COVID-19 restrictions come into effect Monday in Windsor-Essex County

Monday will bring increased restrictions and requirements for the public and businesses in Windsor-Essex County to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

Friday, the province announced Windsor-Essex would moved into the yellow, or protect, level of the COVID-19 response framework. 

Medical health officer Dr. Wajid Ahmed said he would be going above and beyond the province's required restrictions, saying that there would be zero tolerance on all COVID-19 prevention measures, and social gatherings are to cap at ten people indoors and 25 people outdoors.

The health unit is also calling on residents to minimize close contacts to household members only and to avoid visiting other homes.

Updated numbers

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit reported a total of 42 cases over the weekend, with 23 new cases Saturday and 19 Sunday. 

Sixteen of the cases are among agri-farm workers, five cases come from close contacts with confirmed cases, two cases were aquired in the community, two cases are in local healthcare workers, two cases have been diagnosed in residents of a long-term care home, one case is related to travel to Michigan and 14 cases are still under investigation.

There are currently 192 active cases in the community and 76 people have died due to the virus since the pandemic began.

There are four seniors' facilities in the Windsor-Essex County region currently experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks.

Iler Lodge in Essex continues to be the hardest hit facility with 17 residents testing positive for the virus and one staff member. Lifetimes on Riverside in Windsor also has four cases among residents and four among staff. Riverside Place in Windsor also has two staff members testing positive and one staff member also tested positive at Berkshire Care Center in Windsor.

There is one outbreak at an agricultural workplace in Leamington, and an outbreak at a University of Windsor residence continues. As of Thursday, five of 18 students who attended a halloween party at a residence at the university had tested positive for COVID-19.

Chatham-Kent and Sarnia-Lambton

Chatham-Kent Public Health said it is currently facing 29 cases of active COVID-19.

One workplace has an outbreak with 11 associated active cases. There are also active outbreaks being reported in a congregate living setting as well as one at a place of worship.

CBC reported about an outbreak at the Blenheim Word of Life church which was linked to more than 30 cases in the community on the end of October. It is not clear from Chatham-Kent Public Health information how many, if any of those cases are still active. 

Lambton Public Health is currently reporting nine active cases of COVID-19 in Sarnia-Lambton.

There have been 386 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region and 25 deaths.