During what has become his daily update to the media about the COVID-19 pandemic, the Medical Officer of Health in Windsor-Essex insisted there are no confirmed cases in the region.
Reporters asked Dr. Wajid Ahmed to address unconfirmed reports of a patient in isolation at Windsor Regional Hospital.
He said there was no truth to it, and if there were a positive result, he would be the first to know. He would get a call directly from the lab.
"When it comes back positive, they pick up the phone, and they call either myself or Theresa. That's how we get the results immediately," he said, referring to the CEO of the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, Theresa Marentette.
Ahmed said if there are any confirmed cases, the public will be informed.
"Any confirmed case of COVID-19 in our area will be communicated directly to the media as soon as possible, and it will be coming from public health," he explained.
Marentette told reporters, both at the health unit's office on Ouellette Avenue, and watching online, a total of 260 people in the region have been tested, and the results of 150 tests are pending.
The wait time to get results back is now seven days, up from four on Thursday.
Marentette is not concerned about the delay since anyone who is tested is urged to self-isolate for two weeks anyway.
She also said the wait should shorten next week.
"It shouldn't get longer. It should get shorter if the lab in London is actually able to take our samples," said Marentette.
Right now, results are being sent to a lab in Toronto.
