Last updated: Tuesday May 12th, 9:42am

The Windsor Essex County Health Unit has confirmed 6 additional cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday morning, bringing the local total to 732. They said 287 people locally have recovered.

Cases increased from 726 on Monday May 11th to 732 on Tuesday May 12th.

The Health Unit announced two additional deaths as of Tuesday bringing the local death toll to 61.  Dr. Wajid Ahmed, Medical Officer of Health says a female in her 90s and a female in her 80s passed away on Monday.  He says both were residents of long-term care homes.

Of the 61 total, local deaths, the Health Unit says 47 deaths have been residents of long-term care and retirement homes.

The Health Unit says there are still ongoing outbreaks at fifteen facilities: AMICA, Sun Parlour, Lifetimes on Riverside, Franklin Gardens, Heron Terrace, Country Village Homes, Village at St. Clair, Chartwell Oak Park LaSalle, Berkshire, Chartwell Kingsville Retirement Residence, Extendicare Southwood Lakes, Dolce Vita, Leamington Mennonite Home, Riverside Place, Chartwell Oak Park Terrace.

As of Tuesday morning, 11,585 tests have been conducted and 1,774 tests are pending.

Elayne Isaacs, Integrated Care Manager as the Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre announced they will be offering COVID-19 testing options for the indigenous community.  “We are expanding our testing services beyond existing clients to the indigenous community at large,” she said.

Isaacs says the Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre currently serves around 700 individuals but she says there are likely more than 8,000 indigenous people in Windsor and Essex County.

“Services are open to all First Nations, Inunit and Métis people living in and around Windsor Essex,” Isaacs said. “Screening is done over the phone with one of our healthcare providers.  Based on the screening, a testing appointment, a time and date are provided.”

“During this pandemic and always, we want to ensure our indigenous people have options. They need to feel safe and as comfortable as possible to access the services they need,” she said.  “Aboriginal health access centers recognize our indigenous rights to determinations in health and we support COVID-19 screening and testing services as identified and led by indigenous community and organizations across Ontario.”

“We do this because we recognize the need for indigenous-specific responses as part of a broader strategy to address health equity for our people,” she said.