The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) reported Friday that a total of nine residents of Windsor-Essex have now tested positive for COVID-19.

On Friday morning, the health unit reported 4,443 confirmed in Canada, 858 in Ontario, two in Chatham-Kent, 2,856 in Michigan with 851 in Detroit.

Six cases were previously reported by the health unit, however one of the individuals was tested and diagnosed in Toronto, where he is currently self-isolating.

The other five cases of COVID-19 were travel-related. Those people are recovering in Windsor-Essex.

On Friday, the health unit said a man in his 60s with recent travel to Michigan and who was in close contact of case six, developed symptoms March 18 and was tested at the assessment centre. He has moderate symptoms and remains in self isolation.

The eight confirmed case is a man in his 50s who works at a health-care centre in Michigan. He developed symptoms March 21, was tested at the assessment centre and is recovering at home with mild symptoms and is in self isolation.

The health unit is waiting for more details about the ninth person to test positive for COVID-19.

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In addition to the cases already confirmed by the health unit, Windsor Regional Hospital spokesperson Steve Erwin said that there are "50 being treated as possible COVID-19 cases pending test results."

"The 50 were admitted and are being cared for because they have COVID-19 like symptoms. They have been swabbed. They are treated as though they are positive for COVID-19 until we can prove through lab tests that they are negative."

Erwin said those tests have been sent to the Toronto testing facility which is extremely backlogged, so they have also been sent to the London testing facility.

Erwin said those results should come back Friday or Saturday.

Chatham-Kent has 4 confirmed cases

Chatham-Kent confirmed two new COVID-19 cases on Friday, bringing the region's total confirmed count up to four.

The two newest cases are two men, aged 40 and 45, who live in a residential home.

The two men both had a fever on March 20, were taken to hospital and tested. They immediately went into self-isolation that same day, "at an agency home that was not occupied by anyone," according to a media release issued by Community Living Chatham-Kent on Friday.

Both men will remain in self-isolation until Friday, April 3.

Sarnia has 8 confirmed cases, as doctor pleads for help

Eight people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Sarnia-Lambton region and four of those patients are currently in the intensive care unit at Bluewater Hospital.

Dr. Firas Al-Dhaher with the Central Lambton Family Health Team posted a YouTube video, pleading with the community to take the pandemic seriously.

"We are anticipating that more people have been exposed and more people are going to be sick," said Al-Dhaher. "We are now evolving into a very serious situation which it is true across the country it is now true for Lambton County ... The next two weeks are going to be critical. We could be on the same trajectory as some of the other crisis spots in the world."

Al-Dhaher asks the public not to panic, but to follow the guidance and suggestions of health care authorities.

City closes play structures in parks, shuts down transit

The City of Windsor has closed play structures, including swings and children's activity sets within parks in an effort to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19.

Parks, trails and open spaces will remain open, as they still allow people to practise social distancing.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens continued to urge residents to practise social distancing.

Transit Windsor services will be temporarily suspended as of end of normal hours on Sunday, March 29, as an additional step to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Transit Windsor's temporary suspension will last until at least Monday, April 13.

"I recognize that despite the health warnings and advice, many in our community still rely on Transit Windsor for their daily needs," said Dilkens. "But, the risks associated with COVID-19 outweigh the inconvenience this shutdown will cause."

Chamber of Commerce seeks higher wage subsidy from feds

The 10 per cent wage subsidy being offered by the federal government to help businesses and workers affected by COVID-19 shutdowns is "inadequate," according to the president and CEO of the Windsor-Essex County Regional Chamber of Commerce.

"What we are suggesting to them, to the government, [is] let us take it up to 50 per cent, because that will ensure that these businesses that we need badly to be operating will stay open," said Rakesh Naidu.

He cited other countries, like Denmark, which are offering 75 per cent subsidies, but suggested that might be too much of a leap all at once.