COVID-19 cases reported to Windsor-Essex health unit over holidays

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While studies suggest the COVID-19 variant is more contagious, the province said “there is no evidence that it is more likely to cause severe illness,” nor has there been any evidence that the vaccines approved by Health Canada will be less effective against the variant.

Meanwhile, the culmination of the holiday season brought no pause to the number of COVID-19 cases reported to the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.

Updates by the health unit over Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day saw triple-digit increases to the region’s total case count on a daily basis.

According to the WECHU, 130 new cases were reported on Dec. 24, and 151 new cases were reported on Dec. 25.

The most recent update, on Sunday morning, said 135 new cases were reported on Dec. 26.

The increases bring the Windsor-Essex total since the start of the pandemic to 6,880 cases.

As of Sunday morning, 1,580 of those cases are considered active.

There are currently 79 COVID-19 cases in local hospitals.

5,184 cases are considered resolved.

Two new COVID-19 fatalities were also reported over the holidays: A woman in her 90s who was a resident of a long-term care facility, and a woman in her 80s who was living in the community.

The deaths bring the region’s cumulative COVID-19 toll to 116 people.

The health unit is currently monitoring COVID-19 outbreaks at 18 long-term care or retirement homes in the area, four of which were reported on Dec. 26.