Windsor-Essex reports 216 new cases as stay-home order takes effect

The Windsor-Essex region reported 216 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday as a new provincial stay-at-home order took effect.

Dr. Wajid Ahmed, medical officer of health with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU), said there have been four additional deaths of seniors in the region.

Within Windsor-Essex, about 2,800 people have active COVID-19 cases.

There are 111 people in hospital — 18 of them are in ICU, and an additional 196 suspected cases are in hospital.

Forty-six outbreaks are active in the region, an increase of one since Wednesday. They include 20 at long-term care and retirement homes.

Ahmed said the health unit is on track to have all initial vaccinations complete at all homes by early next week.

New stay-at-home order takes effect

A  second state of emergency over surging COVID-19 cases was declared by the Ontario government on Tuesday.

An emergency alert was sent to cell phones after 10 a.m. on Thursday telling the public that the stay-at-home order is in effect.

The order means that people are only permitted to leave their homes for essential reasons such as buying groceries, picking up prescriptions or daily exercise.

There are many other exceptions, including an exemption for people experiencing homelessness.

Ahmed said message from the province is loud and clear that they want people to stay home and work from home as much as possible, though employers will bear some responsibility for deciding who is essential.

"We'll have to wait and see how it eventually plays out in terms of the mobility, in terms of people's desire to work from home versus the businesses' need to have them at work," he said.

COVID-19 outbreaks in Windsor-Essex

Since the pandemic began, there have been 10,494 COVID-19 cases recorded in Windsor-Essex and 241 deaths, according to WECHU.

Two outbreaks are active at Windsor Regional Hospital's Ouellette campus, and Assisted Living Southwestern Ontario is also in outbreak.

A new school outbreak was declared at Sandwich Secondary School, which has been closed since prior to the holiday break along with all others in the region. Queen Victoria Public School also remains in outbreak.

Outbreaks are active at 21 workplaces:

• Four in Leamington's agricultural sector.
• Four in Kingsville's agricultural sector.
• Four in Windsor's health care and social assistance sector.
• One in Leamington's health care and social assistance sector.
• One in Lakeshore's health care and social assistance sector.
• One in Windsor's food and beverage service sector.
• One in a personal service setting in LaSalle.
• Three in public administration settings in Windsor.
• One in a retail setting in Essex.

There are 20 active outbreaks at long-term care and retirement facilities:

• Richmond Terrace in Amherstburg with two staff cases
• Chartwell Royal Marquis, with one resident case and one staff case
• Harrow Woods Retirement Home, with five resident cases and one staff case
• Seasons Retirement Home in Amherstburg, with three staff cases
• Devonshire Retirement Residence in Windsor, with 17 resident cases and five staff cases
• Chartwell Royal Oak in Kingsville, with two staff cases.
• Rosewood Erie Glen in Leamington, with 30 resident cases and three staff cases
• Chateau Park in Windsor with four staff cases.
• Leamington Mennonite Home with six staff cases. 
• Brouillette Manor in Tecumseh, with three staff cases.
• Augustine Villas in Kingsville, with 51 resident and 11 staff cases. 
• Sunrise Assisted Living of Windsor, with 11 resident cases and eight staff cases. 
• Huron Lodge in Windsor, with 43 resident cases and 25 staff cases. 
• Sun Parlor Home in Leamington, with eight staff cases.
• Banwell Gardens Care Centre in Windsor, with 111 resident cases and 52 staff cases.
• The Shoreview at Riverside in Windsor, with 24 resident cases and 10 staff cases.
• Extendicare Tecumseh, with 82 resident cases and 55 staff cases.
• Berkshire Care Centre in Windsor, with 94 resident and 60 staff cases.
• The Village at St. Clair in Windsor, with 150 resident cases and 118 staff cases.
• Country Village in Woodslee, with three resident and three staff cases.
• Village of Aspen Lake in Tecumseh, with 53 resident cases and 25 staff cases.