CBC Windsor's April 9 COVID-19 update: 262 cases in Windsor-Essex

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit reported Thursday there are now 262 cases of COVID-19 in Windsor Essex.

Seven people have died from the disease caused by the virus, and four of those individuals were in long-term care or retirement homes in the community.

As of Thursday, eightof those facilities are experiencing outbreaks after a resident at Franklin Gardens long-term care home in Leamington tested positive for COVID-19.

Overall,1,940 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex and 275 tests are pending.

Theresa Marentette, chief nursing officer and CEO at the health unit said testing for COVID-19 should be based on a clinical assessment and that asymptomatic individuals will not be tested.

Marentette said these groupshave been prioritized for testing of results:

• Symptomatic health care workers and staff who work in health care facilities;
• Symptomatic residents and staff in long term care facilities and retirement homes;
• Hospitalized patients admitted with respiratory symptoms (new or exacerbated);
• Symptomatic members of remote, isolated, rural and/ or indigenous communities;
• Symptomatic travellers identified at a point of entry to Canada;
• Symptomatic community/ ambulatory people with medical co-morbidities;
• Symptomatic community/ ambulatory people working in an essential industry with the inability to isolate.

WATCH | The health unit'sCOVID-19 update for April 9:

Chief medical officer, Dr. Wajid Ahmed said current projections of the disease in the community have showna "slight decrease."

But Ahmed cautioned that a more steady trend needs to be seen.

"I would caution very carefully this is an early trend, we need to see it for a longer period of time ... I think people are getting it ... this is not a time to relax," he said.

Ahmed, again, urged health-care workers especially those who travel over the order to follow strict self-isolation guidelines and not to travel out into the community.

Ahmed said even at home, those workers should avoid contact with other people they live with.

As the Easter holiday weekend approaches, the health unit reminded people that social gatherings cannot happen.

"Anyone who doesn't live inside your home, seeing them, having them over can increase your risk of exposure," said Ahmed. "We are still recommending people shouldn't be getting together."

Guidelinesand recommendations about COVID-19 can be found on the health unit's website.

Here's what's happening in our area:

• Windsor firefighter with COVID-19 asymptomatic while at work, station deep cleaned
• After wife's death, Petrolia, Ont. resident warns others to take COVID-19 more seriously
• Ontario asparagus farmer's $750K crop on the line if temporary foreign workers delayed
• Spring cleaners asked to leave donations at home for now
• Windsorite launches Facebook group matching health-care workers with RVs to stay in

Sarnia-Lambtonoutbreak

The health unit in Sarnia-Lambton reported 98confirmed cases of COVID-19. Eight people have died from the disease in Lambton County. Another eightpeople have recovered.

Landmark Village seniors' home in Sarnia, Ont. is experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak with at least 21 confirmed cases in residents or staff members at the facility as of Wednesday. Four residents there have died.

Chatham-Kent cases

Chatham-Kent Public Health reports there are 18confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region and one person in that community has died.

Four of those 17people who were diagnosed have made a full recovery.

Tip lines

Hundreds of people around our area are calling in tips about people not following the rules in place to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Special hotlines have been set up to field complaints in Chatham-Kent and Sarnia.

This week, one of the tips resulted in Sarnia Police handing a $750 fine to a senior who was refusing to stay home for 14 days after returning to Canada from a trip.

• Windsor-Essex residents wondering who to call for COVID-19 delinquencies

In Windsor, there is no single point of contact.

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit said anyone with concerns about restaurants, bars, tobacco or vape shops that areopen when they shouldn't be, can contact thehealth unit.

Non-essential businesses being open, people who are not physicallydistancing, or groups of five or more people can be reported to3-1-1 in Windsor or local by-law offices in your municipality.

Anyone not self-isolating or quarantiningreport to non-emergency line for police services who will follow up with the health unit who can then issue an order if necessary.

Child care for emergency support workers

The Province of Ontario has approved and is funding the City of Windsor, Children's Services Department'sEmergency Child Care Plan.

The care is being offered free of charge to health-care and frontline workers on the province's approved list.

Applications must be made directly through the City of Windsor, Children's Services Department to ensure eligibility requirements are met.