The COVID-19 case rate in Windsor-Essex has dropped significantly and now sits at 46.8 per 100,000 residents.
Last week, the Windsor Essex County Health Unit reported the rate was 65.1 per 100,000 residents.
Manager of Epidemiology at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit Ramsey D’Souza says the drop in cases can be attributed to the growing vaccine coverage in the region and the continued adherence to public health measures.
“All of that together has not only brought about a milder third wave for us, but we’re now seeing the extended benefits of that as well,” said D’Souza.
On Friday morning, there were 24 more cases logged in the region. The health unit is monitoring 250 active infections and 132 of them involve a variant of concern.
During its weekly epidemiological summary, the health unit also reported that there have been 397 COVID-19 cases among individuals who have been vaccinated in Windsor-Essex. Of those, 47 per cent of the infections occurred within the first 14 days of the individual receiving a vaccine, meaning the vaccine did not have time to take effect before they became infected. Another 46 per cent of the cases occurred after an individual received one dose and the other 7 per cent occurred after two doses.
According to the health unit, among the individuals who contracted COVID-19 after receiving both doses of the vaccine, 70 per cent of the people were asymptomatic.
To date, 53.6 per cent of the total population in Windsor-Essex has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Less than 5 per cent of the population has received both doses.
During the daily news conference, CEO and Chief Nursing Officer Theresa Marentette said they are ready to start administering second doses to residents over 80.
“We’re ready to do second doses. We think we have the capacity and the ability to move forward,” said Marentette.
The Ministry of Health announced Friday morning that individuals 80 and older will be eligible to book their second doses starting on Monday, May 31, 2021.
