Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 are on the rise in Windsor-Essex.
On Monday, the Windsor Essex County Health Unit reported nine people are in the hospital receiving treatment for COVID-19 and two of the patients are in the intensive care unit. On Friday, there was only one person in the hospital for COVID-19.
"It's a reality that when you have community cases going up you are bound to see cases in the hospital and you are bound to see cases in the ICU and, unfortunately, you are bound to see some deaths that are associated with that as well," said Medical Officer of Health Dr. Wajid Ahmed.
Since March, about 10 per cent of all people who contracted COVID-19 locally needed to be hospitalized for treatment.
"If there are cases in the hospital it requires more effort from the staff. From isolation, from seeing many people at the emergency department, it really slows down the entire health care system," said Dr. Ahmed.
As of Friday, November 9, occupancy at local hospitals was at 94 per cent.
The health unit reported 11 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday. Four are workers at the agricultural facility currently experiencing an outbreak, one is travel-related, one is a health care worker, and five remain under investigation. There are 202 active cases in the community.
There are four long-term care and retirement homes experiencing an outbreak.
The health unit is continuing to monitor an outbreak at a student residence at the University of Windsor. Last week, five students tested positive for COVID-19 out of 18 students who attended a Halloween party. No other students have tested positive to date.