There has been another death in Chatham-Kent related to COVID-19.
It's the second fatality due to the novel coronavirus since the pandemic started in mid-March. CK Public Health reported the death Wednesday afternoon.
CKPH Community Outreach and Public Relations Officer Stephanie Egelton confirmed that a woman in her 50s from Chatham-Kent passed away at Windsor Regional Hospital.
"CK Public Health provides our condolences to the family and friends of this individual," she added.
CK Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Colby told a media teleconference on Thursday morning that he believes her family in the western part of Kent County took her to the hospital in Windsor after she became sick almost two weeks ago. She spent the entire time in the Intensive Care Unit. Colby said he believes the deceased woman is not part of the workplace outbreaks at Leamington area farms. He also said she died on Saturday and the local health unit was notified 48 hours later.
Health officials also reported 11 new cases on Wednesday. There are currently 77 active cases in the municipality, three of which are in the hospital, and there one ongoing workplace outbreak.
On Tuesday, 40 new cases were reported over the long weekend with four people hospitalized. Wednesday's active cases went up by five, there were also five more recovered cases, and the number of cases hospitalized dropped by one.
CK Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Colby said the nine cases reported in a congregate setting are part of the Low German community. He can't say much about the workplace outbreak but added "it is coming under control nicely." There are five cases there.
Chatham-Kent is near the top for cases per 100,000 in Ontario but Colby said he doesn't "put much stock in those kind of stats."
"Over the weekend, CK has continued to see large numbers of daily reported COVID-19 cases. While these cases are largely related to previously confirmed cases, the potential for spread is very real, and we need to remain vigilant," CK Public Health tweeted out on Tuesday.
The first death in CK caused by COVID-19 was a woman in her 80s who passed away at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance on April 4 after contracting the virus during a trip to the United States.