The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit has reported eight new cases of COVID-19 in the region.
Of the cases announced Thursday morning, four are in the agri-farm sector, three are considered community spread and one is still under investigation.
Speaking during the health unit’s daily briefing, CEO and Chief Nursing Officer, Theresa Marentette, spoke about the mandatory masks bylaws recently approved by councils in Windsor, Leamington and Lakeshore.
“We have weekly discussions with the CAOs of the municipalities and they are very clear about what our order includes and where there's an ability to expand that order from the municipal lens," says Marentette.
She says the added bylaws will help out the entire community.
"Municipalities have the ability to enforce expanded masks requirements through their bylaw officers and enforcement officers and so it is quite common for the municipality to have an added measure for public places or municipal places," says Marentette, adding, the health unit does not intend to change its face covering order.
"We do not plan to incorporate those changes into the overall class order for masking at this time," she says.
At the end of June, the local health unit issued a mandatory face covering order that requires all owners or operators of a commercial establishment in Windsor-Essex to prohibit entry of person who is not wearing a face covering.
There are a couple of exceptions such as if a person cannot wear a face covering for medical reasons or age.
Windsor and Leamington's bylaw calls for masks to be worn in all indoor public spaces and Leamington’s bylaw doesn’t include churches, but Windsor’s does.
- with files from AM800's Rusty Thomson