CBC Windsor May 27 COVID-19 update: Here's what's happening today
The Windsor Essex County Health Unit will provide a daily COVID-19 update for our area Wednesday morning.
WATCH | The health unit's COVID-19 update for May 27 live at 9 a.m.:
On Tuesday, the health unit reported four new cases of COVID-19 for the region and no additional deaths.
Two of the four new cases are in people working in the "agri-farm," sector, said Theresa Marentette, CEO and chief nursing officer at the health unit. On Monday, she reported 36 new cases of the disease, with 33 linked to the farming community as well.
Ontario long-term care gets scathing report from military
No new deaths were reported as of Tuesday this week, however 47 of the 63 people who died in Windsor-Essex were residents of long-term care or retirement homes in the region.
Another two seniors' facilities in our area were cleared of an outbreak.
The news comes as Premier Doug Ford says the province has launched an investigation that could lead to criminal charges against five long-term care homes rocked by COVID-19.
The investigation comes after the Armed Forces issued a scathing report on the state of five facilities in the Toronto area.
The report includes a stunning list of allegations that the military says may have contributed to large outbreaks experienced at each of the homes.
WATCH | Doug Ford promises change for seniors' care in Ontario:
Military service members, who have been providing assistance at the homes since April 28, say they have observed numerous forms of unhygienic and dangerous behaviour.
The union which represents workers in 22 long-term care homes across Windsor-Essex says the problems outlined in a recent military report are far too familiar.
"We've been sounding this alarm for a long time," said Tulio DiPonti, president of Unifor Local 2458. "We've met with the minister of long-term care just before the pandemic and we brought it back to her attention. We said, 'Listen, we've got a problem.'"
John Scotland, the CEO of Steeves and Rozema which operates a number of long-term care homes including Heron Terrace in Windsor, said the province has to better fund the homes for more staff and allow them to be more flexible in who they hire.
"We've been saying for years that the system is broken, that it needs to be fixed," said Scotland, adding their hands are tied when it comes to hiring.
"There's a health care crisis as far as human resource goes. We've got to get more people into health care," said Scotland, suggesting it could be done through immigration or training programs.
None of the long-term care or retirement homes in the Windsor-Essex region were on that list, and Armed Forces members did not aid any of the facilities here either.
Heron Terrace, one of the worst hit homes in Windsor-Essex has had 70 residents and 34 staff members test positive for COVID-19. Twenty-three residents of the home have died since the onset of the pandemic.
Chartwell Royal Oak in Kingsville is also under outbreak with one resident testing positive at the facility.
COVID-19 in Sarnia-Lambton
Lambton Public Health reported 254 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region. Overall, 21 people have died and 185 people have recovered from the disease.
An outbreak at Vision Nursing Home in Sarnia has worsened with 23 residents testing positive for the disease and 20 staff members. Another two residents at the home have died over the weekend. Six residents in total have died at Vision Nursing Home.
An outbreak at Marshall Gowland Manor long-term care home in Sarnia has also been reported, with one resident testing positive.
Village On The St. Clair retirement home in Sarnia is also experiencing an outbreak, as two residents there tested positive for COVID-19.
On Monday, Lambton Meadowview Villa in Petrolia came under outbreak again after one staff member tested positive for COVID-19. A previous outbreak at the facility, also involving one staff member, was reported as being over April 23.
COVID-19 in Chatham-Kent
Chatham-Kent's health unit reported 144 cases of COVID-19 for that community, with the majority of them linked to an outbreak at Greenhill Produce.
There are now 100 workers at the facility who have tested positive for COVID-19. An outbreak was investigated at the end of April, when about 40 cases of the disease were discovered among workers at the greenhouse operation.
Only five of those cases are still active, according to CK Public Health. Another 95 workers have recovered.
In Chatham-Kent, one person has died due to COVID-19 and 133 people have recovered.
