CBC Windsor April 25 COVID-19 update: Health Unit provides safe transit guidelines

There are now 550 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in the Windsor-Essex County region, that's an increase of nine cases reported by the Winsdor Essex County Health Unit on Friday.

There were three deaths attributed to the virus. They were all women and in their 90s who lived in long-term care.

There are currently 28 people in the hospital who have tested positive for the virus and seven people are in Intensive Care Units.

1,750 peoplewere tested for COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex County this week, bringing the total number of tests administered in the region to 5,381.

923tests are still pending.

The Windsor-Essex Health Unit says it is continuing to monitor outbreak situations at five long-term care and retirement homes in the region.

Those include: Amica, Sun Parlour, Lifetimes on Riverside, Heron Terrace and Country Village Homes.

Outbreaks at Franklin Gardens and Extendicare Southwood Lakes areconsidered resolved.

Earlier this week, Dr. Wahid Ahmed said that while some of the data looked promising, precautions such as self-isolation and social distancing should continue to be taken.

Transit guidelines released

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unitreleasedrecommendations for a safe transit system Friday, which included a list for both the transit system to stay safe as well as for its riders.

"Maintaining a safe transit system is a priority at all times," a memo released by WECHU read.

"As we continue to learn from the COVID-19 pandemic it is important to ensure all measures are in place to protect our transit employees and the public who rely on public transit."

Busses were pulled off the road by the City of Windsoron March 29th that order is set to expire at the end of April.

On Friday, Mayor Drew Dilkens said he was exploring ways to fire the system back up and that it should be done in tandem with businesses coming back online.

"I can tell you that we're looking to have meetings with ATU, the local transit union, working through the various issues certainly with Dr. Ahmed making sure the proper protocols in place and we hope to be able to talk to you more about where we are going at the expiry of the order in fairly short order," Dilkens said.

COVID-19 in Sarnia-Lambton

The health unit in Sarnia-Lambton reported 165 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Satuday and 14people have died from the virus. Another 73 people have recovered.

Bluewater Health reported Tuesday that 14 staff members at the facility have tested positive for COVID-19, though only four of them contracted the virus at work whereas the other 10 were contracted in the community.

Two long-term care facilities in the community are considered to be in an outbreak situation: Landmark Village retirement home has 34 confirmed cases of COVID-18 and Vision Nursing home has two cases detected among staff.

A previous situation listed atMeadowview Villa long-term care home, which hadone staff member who tested positive, is now considered resolved.

COVID-19 in Chatham-Kent

Chatham-Kent Pubic Health reported Saturday that 42people in the region have tested positive for COVID-19. One person has died and 23 people have recovered.