Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, Windsor, January 16, 2020. Photo by Mark Brown, WindsorNewsToday.ca.Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, Windsor, January 16, 2020. Photo by Mark Brown, WindsorNewsToday.ca.
Windsor

COVID-19 death toll climbs to 35 in Windsor-Essex

The CEO of the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, Theresa Marentette, announced three more deaths related to COVID-19 Friday -- a woman in her 90s, and two other women in their 80s.

The number of people who have died in the region has now risen to 35. Of those deaths, 24 have been in long-term care and retirement homes.

About 42 per cent of the total confirmed COVID-19 cases have been in long-term care and retirement homes.  Marentette announced another 16 cases Friday morning for a total of 541 in Windsor-Essex.

The health unit is also working with five facilities currently experiencing outbreaks.  While outbreaks at Franklin Gardens and Extendicare Southwood Lakes have been resolved, there are still infections at Sun Parlour Home in Leamington, Heron Terrace, Lifetimes on Riverside, AMICA at Windsor, and Country Village Homes in Woodslee.

Country Village Homes has the largest outbreak with 70 residents and 27 staff members infected with the virus.

The number of people tested so far in Windsor-Essex has now surpassed 5,000 and the results of 663 tests are pending. So far, 122 people have recovered from the virus.

Dr. Wajid Ahmed said the doubling rate for COVID-19 continues to increase. Cases are now doubling at a rate of four days. Dr. Ahmed says this indicates the rate of the disease in the community is declining.

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