WINDSOR — The number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex is up and it appears health care workers are bearing part of the burden.
As of Tuesday morning, there are now 65 confirmed positive cases in Windsor-Essex with 1052 tests taken and 330 test results pending.
Of the positive cases where details are available, about one-third are health care workers and all but one, works in a Michigan health care centre.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Wajid Ahmed is advocating for health care workers to try and stay on one side of the border and at one health care facility, citing the more cross border travel there is, the higher the risk of spreading the virus.
"Anything that goes wrong in Michigan will have an impact on us and anything that goes wrong here, has an impact on Michigan," says Dr. Ahmed. "So it is a time to support each other but also how do we reduce the risk to our community."
He says when health care workers are sick, it means there are fewer frontline health care workers to take care of patients in the hospital.
Dr. Ahmed says it is important for the health care workers to try and limit the number of times they cross the border.
"Given the number of cases that are rising in an alarming rate in Michigan, the measure that are currently in place by all levels of government in Canada to flatten the curve may not work if we don't limit cross border travel," he says.
Of the positive cases locally, it estimated 20 per cent are the result of possibly community transmissions and 80 per cent have a travel history with two-thirds having travelled to Michigan.
About 20 percent of the positive cases in Windsor-Essex are in hospital and three people are in the I.C.U.
There are close to 6,500 positive cases in Michigan including 1800 in Detroit.
COVID-19 results in Windsor-Essex for March 31, 2020. (Image courtesy of Windsor Regional Hospital)