Windsor-Essex health unit supports reopening schools

The Windsor-Essex Health unit is supporting the idea of reopening schools ahead of a provincial announcement on when in-classroom learning can resume.

In recent weeks, amid a lockdown and school shutdown, COVID-19 rates among school-aged children have declined, saidDr. Wajid Ahmed, medical officer of health with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.

Rates of COVID-19 infections are roughly on par with other populations, according to data Ahmed presented on Wednesday.

However, the percentageof tests that come back positiveamong school-aged children are higher than the current weekly regional average of about 5 per cent.

Depending on the age group, 10 to 15 per cent of school-aged children who are tested for COVID-19 get a positive result, according to the most recent health unit data.

Ahmed said the rate of testing is going down, and most of the tests are happening only if there's a confirmed exposure or they aresymptomatic.

"That's why the likelihood of them coming back positive continues ... toremain high," he said.

The risk of COVID-19 cannot be fully eliminated, Ahmed said,but public health measures do work when they are followed.

Families should assess their own risk before switching from online to in-person learning, he said.

Ontario's education Minister Stephen Lecceis expected to make an announcement on schoolreopenings on Wednesday.

Ahmed issued an order tocancel in-person learning atWindsor-Essex schools aweek before the holiday break. The province later followed suit with its own shutdown,though schools in19 of the province's 34 public healthregions havesince reopened.

Ahmed said if the province doesn't announce the reopening of schools Wednesday, he doesn't have the authority to override their order.

Active case count below 500

There are currently 452 activecases of COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex.

On Wednesday, the health unit announced39 people have beennewly diagnosed with COVID-19.Eleven are close contacts of confirmed cases, 10 cases are related to outbreaks, and another threewere community acquired. The remaining 15are under investigation.

Six deaths were announced, one of whom wasa retirement home resident.

Throughout the region, there are 68peoplein hospital with COVID-19, with ninein ICU

There are 39outbreaks active in the region, including sixbetween Windsor Regional Hospital and Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare.

Outbreaks areactive at 16workplaces:

• Four in Leamington's agriculturalsector.
• Five in Kingsville's agriculturalsector.
• One in Leamington's food and beverage sector.
• One in Windsor's health care and social assistance sector.
• One in Tecumseh'shealth care and social assistance sector.
• Three in Windsor's manufacturing sector.
• One in a public administration setting in Windsor

There are 17 active outbreaks at long-term care and retirement facilities:

• Franklin Gardens in Leamington with 24resident cases and sixstaff cases.
• Heron Terrace in Windsor with tworesident cases and twostaff case.
• Chartwell Leamingtonwith two resident cases and twostaff case.
• Regency Park in Windsor with 22resident cases and 14staff cases.
• Chartwell Royal Marquis in Windsorwith fourresident cases and one staff case.
• Devonshire Retirement Residence in Windsor, with 48resident cases and eightstaff cases.
• Rosewood Erie Glen in Leamington, with 42resident cases and ninestaff cases.
• Augustine Villas in Kingsville, with 66 resident and 20staff cases.
• Sunrise Assisted Living of Windsor, with 15resident cases and ninestaff cases.
• Huron Lodge in Windsor, with 48resident cases and 26staff cases.
• Sun Parlor Home in Leamington with tworesident cases and 14staff cases.
• Banwell Gardens Care Centre in Windsor, with 115resident cases and 64staff cases.
• The Shoreview at Riverside in Windsor, with 30resident cases and 16staff cases.
• Extendicare Tecumseh, with 90 resident cases and 62staff cases.
• Berkshire Care Centre in Windsor, with 99resident and 62staff cases.
• The Village at St. Clair in Windsor, with 173resident cases and 142staff cases.
• Village of Aspen Lake in Tecumseh, with 65resident cases and 33staff cases.

COVID-19 in Chatham-Kent, Sarnia-Lambton

Sarnia-Lambtonannounced three new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, for a total of 1,848 since the pandemic began.

Chatham-Kent Public Health has seen 1,237, 12 of which were reported on Wednesday.

There are 61 active cases in Lambton County and 127in Chatham-Kent.