Windsor-Essex COVID-19 data supports reopening of schools, health unit says

The top public health doctor in Windsor and Essex County says local data supports the idea of reopening schools.

 Dr. Wajid Ahmed, medical officer of health with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, said he will present some of that epidemiological data on Wednesday.

"Generally speaking, the indictors and everything are pointing in the right direction, which would support the recommendation ... to reopen our schools for in-person learning," he said.

The province's medical officers of health wrote to the health and education ministers last week to express their support for reopening schools as community spread decreases across the province, according to Ahmed.

"The letter of support basically echoed the updated advice of the Hospital for Sick Children and recommends that daily in-person classrooms should be the last to close and first to open," he said.

The letter also advised that more efforts are needed to protect school staff, referencing the prevention of in-person meetings and refreshers on personal protective equipment, Ahmed added.

The province is expected to make an announcement on school reopenings on Wednesday.

Schools in Windsor-Essex have been closed since the week before the holiday break, prior to an order from the province that temporarily shut down schools across Ontario. Schools in 19 of the province's 34 public health regions have since reopened.

Locally, COVID-19 case counts have declined after peaking in early January. The active case count dipped below 500 Tuesday for the first time since early December. Just two weeks ago, there were roughly 2,500 active cases in the region.

The death toll has continued to rise, however, with more coronavirus-related deaths last month than all of 2020.

On Tuesday, the health unit announced 10 new deaths, including four seniors' home residents. There were also 35 new cases. Eight of the new cases are close contacts of confirmed cases. Five are related to outbreaks, and another five were community acquired. The rest are under investigation.

Throughout the region, there are 72 people in hospital with COVID-19, with 12 in ICU, according to the health unit.

There are 39 outbreaks active in the region, including six between Windsor Regional Hospital and Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. 

Outbreaks are active at 16 workplaces:

• Four in Leamington's agricultural sector.
• Five in Kingsville's agricultural sector.
• One in Leamington's food and beverage sector.
• Two in Windsor's health care and social assistance sector.
• One in Tecumseh's health care and social assistance sector.
• Three in Windsor's manufacturing sector.

There are 17 active outbreaks at long-term care and retirement facilities:

• Franklin Gardens in Leamington with 23 resident cases and three staff cases.
• Heron Terrace in Windsor with two resident cases and one staff case.
• Chartwell Leamington with two resident cases and two staff case.
• Regency Park in Windsor with 22 resident cases and 14 staff cases.
• Chartwell Royal Marquis in Windsor with three resident cases and one staff case.
• Devonshire Retirement Residence in Windsor, with 48 resident cases and eight staff cases.
• Rosewood Erie Glen in Leamington, with 42 resident cases and eight staff cases.
• Augustine Villas in Kingsville, with 64 resident and 19 staff cases. 
• Sunrise Assisted Living of Windsor, with 15 resident cases and eight staff cases. 
• Huron Lodge in Windsor, with 48 resident cases and 26 staff cases. 
• Sun Parlor Home in Leamington with two resident cases and 13 staff cases.
• Banwell Gardens Care Centre in Windsor, with 115 resident cases and 65 staff cases.
• The Shoreview at Riverside in Windsor, with 30 resident cases and 16 staff cases.
• Extendicare Tecumseh, with 90 resident cases and 59 staff cases.
• Berkshire Care Centre in Windsor, with 99 resident and 62 staff cases.
• The Village at St. Clair in Windsor, with 170 resident cases and 137 staff cases.
• Village of Aspen Lake in Tecumseh, with 65 resident cases and 33 staff cases.

COVID-19 in Chatham-Kent, Sarnia-Lambton

Chatham-Kent announced six new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, while Sarnia-Lambton had three.

Lambton Public heath has reported 1,845 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Chatham-Kent Public Health has seen 1,225.