St. Clair College has 7 COVID cases, and 117 are isolating or self-monitoring

Seven COVID-19 cases have been diagnosed at St. Clair College since the start of the school year, according to the school.

As a result of those cases, 117 people at the Windsor campus have been told by public health to either self-isolate or self-monitor for symptoms since Sept. 7.

There are no outbreaks, and none of the cases were transmitted on campus, where thousands have returned to in-class learning. 

"We're doing better than we thought ... but every day is a different day," said John Fairley, the college's vice president of communications and community relations.

Protocols are in place including a vaccination policy, rapid testing for anyone unvaccinated and a daily questionnaire, he said.

So far, 78 per cent of students and staff are fully vaccinated, and 14.4 per cent have had one dose, according to Fairley.

Windsor-Essex has been a top COVID-19 hotspot in Ontario for weeks.

More than 400 COVID-19 cases are active in Windsor-Essex. Elementary, secondary schools and day cares have sent students home due to COVID-19 exposures.

"The burden of COVID-19 to the community now is probably greater than it was in the previous wave of COVID," said Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, acting medical officer of health for Windsor-Essex, during a media briefing Wednesday morning. 

The region has the highest rate of COVID-19 tests coming back positive in all of Ontario.