Number of COVID-19 outbreaks in Windsor-Essex schools rises to 8

Six weeks into the school year, the number of activeCOVID-19 outbreaks at Windsor-Essex schools has risen to eight.

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit hasnewly declared outbreaks atColchester North Public School, Leamington District Secondary School andWest Gate Public School, while outbreaks are also ongoing at the following schools:

• St. Anne French Immersion Catholic School.
• Northwood Public School.
• Marlborough Public School.
• cole lmentaire Louise-Charron.
• cole lmentaire catholique Georges-P.-Vanier.

It's the highest number of school outbreaks Windsor-Essex has seen at the same time in the fourth wave of the pandemic.

Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, acting medical officer of health, said Thursday that around 250 school cohortshave had to be dismissed so far this school year due to potential COVID-19 exposures.

According to the school boards' websites, there are 17 active cases within the English Catholic school board and 36in the English Public school board.

While COVID-19 rates are slowing in Windsor-Essex, they remain stable among school-aged children, Ramsey D'Souza, manager of epidemiology with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, said Thursday.

In the last two weeks, 35 per cent of those who tested positive for COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex wereunder 19, he said.

The health unit also reported Friday another COVID-19 death in the community. A man in his 70s is the 460th person to lose their life to the virus.

The local COVID-19 case count rose by 43, and there are261 active cases in the community.Nine people withCOVID-19 arein hospital.

Twenty-fiveoutbreaks are ongoing in total in Windsor-Essex, including15in workplaces:

• Eight in the agricultural sector.
• One in the food and beverage sector.
• Four in the health care and social assistance sector.
• Two in the manufacturing sector.
• One in a public administration setting.

One community outbreak is ongoing at the Salvation Army shelter, and there is an outbreak at a seniors' home, Augustine Villas in Kingsville.

COVID-19 in Chatham-Kent, Sarnia Lambton

Chatham Public Health reported10 new COVID-19 cases Friday, and 68 cases are active overall.

In Sarnia-Lambton, 27 new cases have been detected, and the current active case count is 80