'A good day:' Windsor sees 53 new COVID-19 cases amid downward trend

The local public health unit reported 53 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday amid a sharp decline in the number of active cases in Windsor-Essex.

The number of people known to have active coronavirusinfections stands at 1,156 a reduction of about1,400 cases in a week.

"Today's a good day with the numbers and progress," saidTheresa Marentette,CEO and chief nursing officer of the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.

Dr. Wajid Ahmed, medical officer of health, said the region is on the right trackand most people are following the lockdown restrictions and stay-at-home order.

"Iam quite optimistic looking at these case counts and the number of active cases," he said.

Case counts and other indicators have been seeing declines for several weeks following a sharp spike that started in the falland peaked in early January.

Despite the continuing trend of fewer new cases and active cases overall, the death toll continues to rise in Windsor-Essex.

The health unit reported four deaths on Tuesday,including two people who were seniors' home residents. Overall, 295 people have died from COVID-19 in the region since the pandemic began.

There are also 108COVID-19 patients in hospital, with 15in intensive care.

Moderna vaccine rollout to continue

Meanwhile, the health unitsays second vaccinations at seniors' homes will proceed later this week as scheduled despite a change in the vaccine rolloutplan from the provincial government.

The health unit is using a different product, the Moderna vaccine. They expect to start second doses on Thursday for seniors' home residents, essential caregivers and staff.

While Ahmed estimates 80 to 85 per cent of allseniors' care home residents have received theirfirst shots, there are still somewho have not received any vaccine due to active COVID-19 infections.

The health unit said it was trying to get to those residents as well.

"We're monitoring all of the doses to try to make sure that even the residents that have not had their first doses, we'll be able to vaccinate them as well," saidMarentette.

53 outbreaks remain active

Of the 53 new cases announced Tuesday, fourare linked to outbreaks, threewerecommunity acquiredand eight areclose contacts of confirmed cases. The rest are under investigation.

There are 53 outbreaks active in the region, including five between Windsor Regional Hospital and Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare.

Outbreaks areactive at 28workplaces:

• Eight in Leamington's agriculturalsector.
• Six in Kingsville's agriculturalsector.
• One in Leamington's food and beverage sector
• Five in Windsor's health care and social assistance sector.
• One in Kingsville's health care and social assistance sector.
• Three in Windsor's manufacturing sector.
• One in a retail setting in Windsor.
• One in a retail setting in Essex.
• One in a retail setting in Lakeshore.
• One in a transportation and warehousing setting in Windsor.

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

• Franklin Gardens in Leamington with six resident cases and one staff case
• Heron Terrace in Windsor with one resident case and one staff case.
• Chartwell Leamingtonwith two resident cases and twostaff case.
• Regency Park in Windsor with nine resident cases and nine staff cases.
• Chartwell Royal Marquis in Windsorwith one resident case and one staff case.
• HarrowoodSenior Community Living in Harrow, with sixresident cases and twostaff cases.
• Devonshire Retirement Residence in Windsor, with 44resident cases and sixstaff cases.
• Chartwell Royal Oak in Kingsville, with twostaff cases.
• Rosewood Erie Glen in Leamington, with 40resident cases and sevenstaff cases.
• Leamington Mennonite Home with sevenstaff cases.
• Augustine Villas in Kingsville, with 64resident and 18staff cases.
• Sunrise Assisted Living of Windsor, with 15resident cases and eight staff cases.
• Huron Lodge in Windsor, with 47resident cases and 25staff cases.
• Sun Parlor Home in Leamington with tworesident cases and 13staff cases.
• Banwell Gardens Care Centre in Windsor, with 115resident cases and 64staff cases.
• The Shoreview at Riverside in Windsor, with 30resident cases and 16staff cases.
• Extendicare Tecumseh, with 90 resident cases and 57staff cases.
• Berkshire Care Centre in Windsor, with 99resident and 62staff cases.
• The Village at St. Clair in Windsor, with 164resident cases and 137staff cases.
• Village of Aspen Lake in Tecumseh, with 65resident cases and 34staff cases.

COVID-19 in Sarnia-Lambton and Chatham-Kent

In Lambton County, six new cases were reported on Tuesday, along with one additional death. Chatham-Kent, saw an increase of 18cases.

Both regions announced theyreceiveda supply of the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday.