Article content
COVID-19 numbers may be trending downward in Windsor-Essex, and anticipation is building for all restrictions to be lifted — but the health unit is keeping an eye on the worrisome international situation.
Article content
During a media briefing on Thursday, Dr. Shanker Nesathurai — Acting Medical Officer of Health for Windsor-Essex — said he is aware of the World Health Organization warning of a global increase in COVID-19 cases.
WHO is paying particular attention to Hong Kong, which is currently in the midst of its heaviest and most deadly COVID-19 outbreak since the start of the pandemic.
“We always monitor the burden of disease,” Nesathurai said. “The public health service in Windsor-Essex is very concerned, and we do stay informed about the worldwide burden of disease — including what is going on overseas right now.”
Driving the current COVID surges in Hong Kong and other parts of the world is “stealth Omicron” — the Omicron.BA2 subvariant.
Article content
Meanwhile, the health unit continues to release daily data on the presence of COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex.
As of Thursday, the health unit is counting 229 active “high risk” cases — with 27 of them currently hospitalized, and two of those patients under intensive care.
The number of outbreak situations being monitored has fallen to three, with two of those outbreaks involving long-term care facilities or retirement homes.
To date, 588 in Windsor-Essex have died due to COVID-19.
The region’s COVID-19 vaccination rate has increased only incrementally in recent weeks. As of Thursday, 83.1 per cent of all Windsor-Essex residents ages five and older have received at least two doses.
54 per cent of residents ages 18 and older have received a third dose/booster shot.
Local adolescents and youths (ages 12 to 17) continue to be the category with the least third-dose coverage, with only 8.3 per cent of them having received a booster shot.