4 more COVID-19 deaths in Windsor-Essex as hospitalizations climb

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is reporting four COVID-19 deaths Tuesday and 34 people in hospital with the disease.

The health unit identified the four individuals who died as a man in his 40s, a man in his 50s, and a man and a woman both in their 70s. 

In total, 477 people in the region have died from COVID-19. 

There are also 11 more patients hospitalized with the disease. Currently, there are 34 people in hospital with COVID-19. 

New COVID-19 restrictions are set to come into effect for the region starting Friday. During a media briefing Monday, Windsor-Essex's acting medical officer of health Dr. Shanker Nesathurai said the measures are meant to alleviate the strained healthcare system. 

But Windsor Regional Hospital's chief of staff Dr. Wassim Saad said he wasn't fully on board with them. 

"Personally, I don't know that I necessarily feel those strict measures are necessary at this time," he said on CBC Radio's Windsor Morning Tuesday.

"I would rather punish offenders and make sure people are actually following the rules and guidelines that are in place currently as oppose to punishing everybody who was following the rules, getting vaccinated." 

Meanwhile, provincial experts are warning that with the rise of the newest COVID-19 variant of concern — omicron — that people should be extra cautious, especially with the upcoming holidays. 

WATCH | Ontario science advisor cautions to keep gatherings small : 

Keep holiday gatherings small in face of omicron variant, Ontario science adviser says

3 years ago

Duration 4:23

Dr. Peter Jüni says people need to 'use your common sense' when it comes to having small gatherings over the holidays in the face of the omicron variant.

More than 500 cases remain active in Windsor-Essex

As of Tuesday, there are 504 active cases of COVID-19 in the community — 51 of which are newly reported. 

There are now 17 workplace outbreaks, nine school outbreaks, four community outbreaks and two long-term care homes are in outbreak. 

Nine of the workplace outbreaks are in the manufacturing and industrial sectors across the region. 

Long-term care homes in outbreak include: Chartwell Royal Oak Long Term Care Residence in Kingsville and Country Village Health Care in South Woodslee. 

COVID-19 in Chatham-Kent, Sarnia-Lambton

Sarnia has 65 active cases and is dealing with five active outbreaks, according to Lambton Public Health. 

Meanwhile, Chatham-Kent Public Health is reporting 138 active COVID-19 cases and nine outbreaks. The region has six people in hospital with the disease. 

On Monday, Chatham-Kent followed Windsor-Essex introducing new COVID-19 restrictions.

Medical officer of health Dr. David Colby said indoor social gatherings must be limited to 10 people. 

The new rules are effective on Friday at 12:01 a.m.