Testing capacity is being stretched in the region and this could have an effect on COVID-19 response in the community.
According to local health officials, it is now taking up to three days to get an appointment for a COVID-19 test at the Assessment Centre at Windsor Regional Hospital Ouellette campus.
"If we are getting this information late, that means contacts could either have spread it to other people and then it just has a ripple effect throughout the system," said Medical Officer of Health Dr. Wajid Ahmed.
Test results continue to take 24-48 hours to come in. It is then taking case and contact managers 24-48 hours to reach out to positive cases and their contacts.
"Some of these pressures that we are seeing, it is making us think and asking us to have that discussion with Ontario Health, with our hospital partners to look for additional capacity if possible," said Dr. Ahmed.
The Windsor Essex County Health Unit reported 63 new cases of COVID-19 in the region on Thursday morning.
Among the new cases are 13 close contacts of previously confirmed cases, three community-acquired cases, and two agri-farm workers. The health unit continues to investigate 45 new cases of COVID-19.
The health unit is monitoring 19 active outbreaks in the community and 415 active cases.
Currently, there are 22 people being treated at area hospitals for COVID-19, five of whom are in the intensive care unit.
