Five new COVID cases in Collingwood today, 87 in Simcoe-Muskoka

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported 87 new cases of COVID-19 in the region today.

Included on the health unit's Jan. 6 list of new COVID-19 cases are five Collingwood resident, three Wasaga Beach resident, 26 Barrie residents, 15 Bradford West Gwillimbury residents, four Innisfil residents, three Orillia residents, and three Midland residents

There is a lag in the data presented in the daily updates because of an increase in cases. 

The health unit has also declared COVID outbreaks (all of which are still ongoing) at the following facilities: 

• Georgian Bay General Hospital in Midland, outbreak declared Dec. 4
• Trillium Manor, Orillia, Dec. 14
• Revera Sara Vista, Elmvale, Dec. 25
• Lakeside Retirement, Innisfil, Dec. 26
• Good Samaritan Retirement Lodge, Alliston, Dec. 26 
• Unnamed child care centre, Wasaga Beach, Dec. 27 
• Georgian Manor, Penetanguishene, Dec. 27
• Tiffin Retirement Residence (first floor), Midland, Dec. 27
• Roger's Cove Retirement Residence, Huntsville, Dec. 29
• Woods Park Care Centre Retirement Home, Barrie, Jan. 1
• Villa Retirement Lodge, Midland, Jan 2
• Simcoe Manor, Tosorontio Unit, Beeton, Jan. 3
• Grove Park Home (Aspen), Barrie, Jan. 4
• The Pines Long Term Care Residence (Cedar), Bracebridge, Jan. 5

The provincial government requires an outbreak be declared at a retirement or long-term care home where one staff or resident tests positive. There does not have to be evidence of spread within the home for an outbreak to be declared. In most other cases, the health unit does not declare an outbreak unless there is evidence of transmission at the facility. 

The breakdown of cases provided by the health unit is as follows. All case transmissions are under investigation unless otherwise indicated: 

• Collingwood (5): Two men and a woman between 18 and 34 years old, a woman between 35 and 44 years old and a woman between 65 and 79 years old. One case is attributed to community transmission (no known link to other cases). 
• Wasaga Beach (3): A woman between 18 and 34 years old, a woman between 35 and 44 years old and a woman between 45 and 64 years old. 
• Barrie (26): Four girls and two boys under 18 years old, four women and a man between 18 and 34 years old, three women and three men between 35 and 44 years old, three women and five men between 45 and 64 years old and a woman between 65 and 79 years old. Three cases are attributed to close contact and one to community transmission. 
• Springwater (3): A girl under 18, a man between 18 and 34 years old, and a woman between 35 and 44 years old. 
• Innisfil (4): A man and a woman between 18 and 34 years old, and two women between 45 and 64 years old. 
• Bradford West Gwillimbury (15): A boy and girl under 18 years old, two women and two men between 18 and 34 years old, a woman and a man between 35 and 44 years old, four women and three men between 45 and 64 years old. One case is attributed to community transmission. 
• Orillia (3): A man and a woman between 18 and 34 years old and a woman between 45 and 64 years old. 
• Oro-Medonte (2): A man between 18 and 34 years old and a man between 45 and 64 years old. 
• Severn (1): A woman between 45 and 64 years old. 
• Midland (3): A man between 18 and 34 years old and a man and a woman between 45 and 64 years old. 
• Tay (1): A woman between 45 and 64 years old.
• Tiny (1): A man between 45 and 64 years old. 
• Essa (7): Two boys under 18, a woman and two men between 18 and 34 years old, a woman between 35 and 44 years old and a woman between 45 and 64 years old. 
• New Tecumseth (10): Two people between 18 and 34 years old, four men between 35 and 44 years old, and two women and two men between 45 and 64 years old. 
• There are no new cases listed for Muskoka District
• There are three cases listed with location information and transmission source still pending, they include a boy under 18, a man between 18 and 34 years old and a man between 45 and 64 years old. 

The local health unit has now confirmed 3,973 cases of COVID-19 with 2,631 of those cases recovered and 70 cases ending in death. There are more than 1,200 active, lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region, with the majority of those in Simcoe County.

There are at least 24 people from Simcoe County hospitalized. There are two people hospitalized with COVID-19 at Collingwood General and Marine Hospital. 

According to the health unit, there have been more than 3,700 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine administered in Simcoe Muskoka to health care workers in local hospitals, long-term care and retirement homes.

*Incidence rate is number of cases per 100,000 people in the local population.

**Total cases includes the number of cases currently recovering at home as well as any that have recovered, died, or are in hospital