4 New Cases Of COVID-19, 1 Less Outbreak In Windsor Essex As Of Monday

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The Windsor Essex County Health Unit has confirmed 4 new cases of COVID-19 as of Monday, bringing the local total to 2,521. They say 2,368 people locally have recovered.

Cases increased from 2,517 on Sunday August 30th to 2,521 on Monday August 31st and 71 people are currently self-isolating with COVID-19.

The Health Unit says 2 cases are close contacts of confirmed cases and 2 cases are still being investigated by the Health Unit’s nurses.

There have been no additional deaths due to COVID-19 as of Monday and the local death toll stands at 72.

As of Monday, the Health Unit’s website lists 5 people as hospitalized and 1 person in the ICU with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Windsor Essex.  Windsor Regional Hospital however lists 13 current COVID-19 hospitalizations and Dr. Wajid Ahmed says the Health Unit’s data system is not yet updated to reflect that number.

New Beginnings retirement home in Leamington remains under outbreak with 6 staff cases and 18 resident cases.

Workplace Outbreaks

As of Sunday, the Health Unit reported the following workplaces under outbreak:

• 1 farm (1 in Leamington)
• 1 manufacturing facility (1 in Windsor)

As of Monday, the Health Unit says the following workplace is under outbreak (1 less compared to yesterday):

• 1 manufacturing facility (1 in Windsor)

A workplace outbreak is declared when two or more employees test positive for COVID-19 within a reasonable timeline to suspect transmission in the workplace, according to the Health Unit. Officials with the Health Unit have said a workplace will only be named if a threat to the public exists.

Public Exposure Notifications

Dr. Ahmed says the Health Unit is now listing public exposure notifications on their website and soon the public will be able to subscribe to receive email alerts when the Health Unit reports a new situation where the public may have been exposed to COVID-19 at a business or other location.

He says the Health Unit makes effort to contact businesses affected by COVID-19 exposures prior to releasing information to the media or directly to the public. But he says recent situations such as Friday’s notice of potential exposure at three restaurants was critical to release in a timely manner due to the delay of one week between the potential exposure and the Health Unit being notified of it.

“The timely release of information out to the public was critical in that situation,” Dr. Ahmed said.  “As we continue to issue these type of alerts, obviously there are processes in place that we reach out to the businesses to ensure they are in the loop and are aware.”

“It’s not a reflection of how the business were performing, its about the public who visited these facilities,” he said. “So moving forward our processes will definitely make sure that the businesses and everyone is aware but sometimes the urgency of releasing that information is critical just because of the timing.”