For the third straight week, Windsor-Essex is experiencing another jump in high risk COVID-19 cases.
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit says the area saw a 9.9 per cent increase the week of March 28 to April 3 compared to the previous week.
According to the health unit, the weekly high-risk case rate is 145.1 cases per 100,000 population.
Acting medical officer of health Dr. Shanker Nesathurai says he is concerned with the increase and is calling on the province to reintroduce some COVID-19 safety measures including the reintroduction of wearing masks in indoor settings.
"I think the province should effectuate greater public health measures to reduce the burden of COVID-19," he continued. "I think vaccination is good but I think looking at the case counts and looking at the disease activity, I think this is the time for the province to act."
He believes it is appropriate for the province to act.
"This kind of approach requires earlier intervention than later intervention. Any measures that we put in at this point in time will take perhaps a week, 10 days, 14 days to really have an effect," he stated.
Speaking on AM800's The Morning Drive, Health Minister Christine Elliott was asked about reintroducing masks and said "Wearing a mask is a personal choice and people have to assess their own risk level. Wearing a mask is a very simple step that someone can take to protect themselves, even if it isn't mandated anymore."
The health unit says the number of in-patient hospitalizations also increased in Windsor-Essex for week ending April 3.