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The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is reporting another person in the community has died of COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths in the region close to 600.
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In its Tuesday update, the health unit reported a man in his 80s from the community had died of COVID-19 – bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths in the community since the start of the pandemic to 598.
The health unit also reported 152 new high-risk COVID-19 cases, noting that only high-risk individuals are eligible for testing and available figures undercount the number of COVID-19 cases in the community.
There are 382 active high-risk cases in the community as a whole.
There are currently 55 people in hospital with COVID-19, including three people in intensive care. On Monday the health unit reported 61 people in hospital and two in intensive care. There were just 44 people in hospital with COVID-19 a week ago, health unit data shows, and that metric has been on the rise for at least three consecutive weeks.
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Twelve local long-term care or retirement homes are in active outbreaks, and there are four reported outbreaks on local hospital units. There are three reported community outbreaks. Two outbreaks in the community are now considered resolved.
Vaccination rates across the health unit’s coverage area have remained steady in recent weeks, and 83.5 per cent of residents five or older have received at least two doses of COVID-19 vaccine. About 51 per cent of residents 12 and older have received a third “booster” shot.
Eligibility for fourth doses opened last week for adults ages 60 and older and indigenous persons 18 and older, provided at least 140 days have elapsed since their third dose.
As of Monday, the health unit has recorded 5,792 fourth doses have been administered to local residents.
Find out more at wevax.ca.
-With files from Dalson Chen