Person under 20 dies of COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex, province says

A COVID-19 patient in this region who was under 20 years of age has died, according to the provincial government.

The death was recorded in the latest provincial epidemiological report released Wednesday, according to Alexandra Hilkene, a spokesperson for the health minister. She directed people to the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit for more information.

"We send our deepest condolences to their family," Alexandra Hilkene, a spokesperson for the health minister, said in an email.

"Out of respect for the family and their privacy during this difficult time we will not be sharing any further case details at this time."

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) says it will not provide additional information beyond what the province has said. It says it is in the interest of "privacy and respect." 

WECHU did say Wednesday that a man in his 70s had died from COVID-19.

The top public health doctor in Windsor-Essex continued to warn of an uptick in COVID-19 cases this fall.

"We recognize... as people spend more time indoors I think you would expect to have a greater case count, a greater burden of disease, but we want to try to have a manageable burden of disease so that we don't have to implement additional public measures," Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, acting medical officer of health, told reporters during a virtual media briefing on Wednesday.

He's encouraging those out there who are still not vaccinated but eligible — an estimated 50,000 people in Windsor-Essex — to get their shots.

Nesathurai said we "should be concerned" about a recent rise in COVID-19 cases and clusters and said people should keep public health measures in mind as they attend events.

Another 49 new cases of the virus were also reported Wednesday. 

There are currently 309 cases active, up from 190 just a week ago. Eighteen people people who have COVID-19 are currently in hospital.

There are 23 ongoing outbreaks in the region. 

Four schools are in outbreak:

• Essex Public School 
• St. Gabriel Catholic Elementary School
• Leamington District Secondary School
• Riverside Secondary School

A unit of Windsor Regional Hospital's Ouellette Campus and Chartwell Royal Oak, a long-term care home in Kingsville, are also in outbreak.

The remaining outbreaks are taking place in community settings and workplaces:

• Five in congregate settings.
• Four in fitness and recreation.
• Two in health care and social assistance.
• One in manufacturing.
• One in a professional service setting.
• Two in professional, scientific, and technical services.
• Two in retail settings.
• One at a public social event.

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