The COVID-19 outbreak is over at an unidentified place of worship in Chatham-Kent, according to the local public health unit.
The Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit declared that outbreak over on Monday. The church outbreak started with three positive cases two weeks ago and at one point went up to six confirmed cases.
The outbreaks at A.A. Wright Public School in Wallaceburg and Hudson Manor Retirement Home in Tilbury continue. The school still has five cases while the retirement home now has two confirmed cases, an increase of one from Friday.
Late on Monday, the health unit corrected its COVID-19 information at St. Joseph Catholic School in Tilbury. It said there are three probable cases of the virus at the school and an outbreak has not been declared because the exposure was outside of the school.
Chatham-Kent Health is contacting any students and staff who may have been in potential contact with the cases. Three classes are closed as a result. Earlier in the day, the health unit reported there was a positive case and two classes and two bus groups were under quarantine.
Elsewhere, Holy Family Catholic School in Wallaceburg is reporting three student cases and two classes closed. One new student case was also found at Tilbury Area Public School last week and another was discovered at Dresden Area Central School. Ursuline College Chatham has three previously reported positive student cases. Public health officials said on Monday the probable case reported at Ursuline on Friday didn't turn out to be a confirmed case.
Chatham-Kent Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Colby added the three remaining cases are unrelated and are the result of exposure outside of the school. Two classes are closed at Ursuline. All students and staff who may have been in close contact with the cases are being notified and will isolate if necessary. The schools remain open.
In other schools, Lambton-Kent Composite School in Dresden has one student case, Wallaceburg District Secondary School has two student cases and one staff case and Georges P. Vanier Catholic School has one student case. Chatham-Kent remains in the Red-Control level of Ontario’s COVID-19 Reopening Framework.
Public health officials in Chatham-Kent are also reporting 36 new cases and 43 resolved cases for a total of 90 active cases. The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance reported four confirmed cases of the virus in the hospital in Chatham. Hospital CEO Lori Marshall said three of them are local patients and one of the patients is on a ventilator.
Marshall added that three staff members are COVID-19 positive and 12 other staff are isolating at home. One of the confirmed staff cases is related to a recent outbreak in lab services.
To date, Walpole Island First Nation has 23 active cases and three deaths linked to the virus. Chief Charles Sampson said so far nearly 700 Walpole island residents have received their COVID-19 vaccine and more clinics are being scheduled for mid-April. Walpole Island has been in lockdown since March 22. Students involved in an outbreak declared last week are being tested so they can return to school.