The Windsor Essex County Health Unit has confirmed a total of 65 cases of COVID-19 in Windsor Essex.
That's up from 44 confirmed Monday. Of those 44 cases, 80 per cent are travel-related and 20 per cent are from community transmission. The health unit said of the travel-related cases, two-thirds have links to Michigan. Around one-third of the total cases are health care workers and all but one are employed in Michigan. The health unit is still analyzing data on the latest cases reported.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Wajid Ahmed said more needs to be done to address health care workers making multiple trips across the border.
"This is a concern for all of us, this is a concern for me and my community. Every time someone is crossing the border and coming in the community it's potentially increasing the risk of COVID-19 in our area," said Ahmed. "We should be looking at the possibility of limiting this cross border travel whenever possible. If someone must travel they should be self-isolating upon their arrival at home and not expose anyone in their family."
To date, there are 6,498 confirmed cases in Michigan with 1,801 cases in Detroit.
"Given the number of cases that are rising at an alarming rate in Michigan the measures that are currently in place by all levels of government in Canada to flatten the curve may not work in Windsor-Essex if we do not limit cross border travel. We hope to work with federal and provincial governments to discuss cross border issues related to essential travel, in particular, health care workers to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our community," said Ahmed.
In total, there have been 1,052 people tested in Windsor-Essex. There are still 330 test results pending.