As the provincial stay-at-home order is set to expire, the Windsor Essex County Health Unit reported 14 new COVID-19 cases in the region.
There are 202 active cases in the community, and 115 of them involve a variant of concern.
The health unit also reported a man in his 70s recently passed away after contracting the virus. There have been 427 deaths in the community linked to COVID-19.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Wajid Ahmed said even though the stay-at-home order is set to expire as of June 2, people should continue to follow public health guidance.
“People can go outside and outdoors for non-essential reasons, so that will be the significant change,” said Dr. Ahmed. “Other than that, everything else will pretty much stay the same until we get to the June 14 point when we will see further relaxation for some of these gatherings and some of the restrictions ease for businesses and other outdoor activities.”
According to the provincial three-step reopening plan, the province will enter phase one in and around June 14 when over 60 per cent of adults in Ontario have effective vaccines.
Right now, 70.8 per cent of adults in Windsor-Essex have been partially vaccinated. However, it takes around two weeks for a person’s body to develop an immune response to the vaccine. The province said this is why the reopening will begin around June 14.
The province will remain in each phase of the reopening plan for at least 21 days. To reach phase 2, the provincial government would like to see 70 per cent of adults with one vaccine and 25 per cent of adults with two.
