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

WECHU reports 1,869 COVID-19 cases in five days

The Windsor Essex County Health Unit reported 1,869 new cases of COVID-19 over the last five days, but that may not reflect the full picture.

On Thursday, December 30, Ontario Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kieran Moore announced PCR testing would be reserved for symptomatic vulnerable individuals, frontline healthcare workers, and education workers.

Everyone else has been told to stay home if they're sick and isolate for five days after showing symptoms. In addition, government guidance states positive results on a rapid antigen test do not need to be confirmed by a PCR test. There is currently no reporting system for a positive on a rapid test.

The health unit confirmed 352 new cases on December 31, 322 on January 1, 297 on January 2, 578 on January 3, and 330 cases on January 4. There are 2,289 known active cases in the community.

There are currently 38 patients in local hospitals with COVID-19.

Erie Shores Healthcare is reporting six patients in its care. Of those, four are unvaccinated and two are fully vaccinated or partially vaccinated. There are two other patients who are waiting for test results.

Windsor Regional Hospital is reporting 32 patients in its care who have tested positive for COVID-19. Among those patients, 26 are in the hospital due to complications from the virus. At WRH 20 patients are fully vaccinated and 12 are unvaccinated.

To date, 86.9 per cent of eligible residents in Windsor-Essex have had one dose of a vaccine, and 80.9 have received two doses. Over 127,786 booster shots have been administered.

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