Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, Windsor, January 16, 2020. Photo by Mark Brown, Blackburn News.Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, Windsor, January 16, 2020. Photo by Mark Brown, Blackburn News.
Windsor

COVID-19 claims third life in three days

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit has reported a third death in three days.

A man in his 60s who lived in the community is the latest fatality, raising the local death toll from COVID-19 to 471. He was one of five deaths reported across the province.

The health unit's epidemiological summary for the week suggests cases of COVID-19 are rising in the region. There were 54 on Thursday, but the case rate for the past seven days was 74.5 for every 100,000 residents. Last week, it was 63.9 for every 100,000.

Our test positivity rate is up too. This past week, 4.8 per cent of swabs tested were positive for the virus, compared to 4.3 per cent seven days ago.

Just as vaccinations for children aged five to 11 begin, a third of all new infections were among those under 19. There are outbreaks at eight schools now. W.F. Herman Academy - Elementary was added to the list. It remains open, along with D.M. Eagle Public School, Margaret D Bennie Public School, Gore Hill Public School, Queen Elizabeth Public School, and Leamington District Secondary School. St. Gabriel Catholic Elementary and St. Joseph Catholic Elementary remain closed.

In total, there are 31 outbreaks in Windsor-Essex currently.

Once again, booster shots make up the majority of doses administered. A total of 18,277 people have had a third dose of the vaccine now. About 127 people got their first shot each day over the past week, while 228 got their second.

About 83.3 per cent of the local population over 12 is fully vaccinated.

Of Thursday's cases, 28 resulted from close contact with previously confirmed infection. Fifteen people caught the virus in the community, while two caught it while travelling. There are nine still under investigation.

The province reported 748 new cases on Thursday and 5,552 active ones.

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