One month after the first positive case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the region, there are now 482 confirmed cases in Windsor-Essex.
The Windsor Essex County Health Unit has reported 27 deaths due to the disease, while 80 people have recovered. To date, 3,916 people have been tested and 687 people are still waiting for their results. With an increase of testing throughout the province, tests results may take up to seven days. However, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Wajid Ahmed said priority tests are coming back much quicker.
Dr. Wajid Ahmed said the health unit's focus right now is finalizing its response to COVID-19 in shelters and for the homeless population.
"What we are talking about is a systematic approach to identify proactively and take some of those measures proactively. We do have a system in place that anyone in this homeless population or shelters if they are having any symptoms, there is a system in place for a nurse to do the assessment," said Ahmed. "If they need housing support, that is currently being provided to them until they wait and isolate just like anyone else in the community."
Dr. Ahmed said their plans to proactively test and catch the virus in this population in its early stages should be complete early this week.
