Health unit reports 88 new COVID cases in region today

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported 88 new COVID-19 cases in the region today, 86 of which are in Simcoe County.

The health unit has also reported nine new deaths today. The deaths include seven Barrie residents, one Oro-Medonte resident, and one Midland resident. 

Among those whose deaths the health unit reported today were seven people whose cases were linked to the outbreak at Roberta Place in Barrie, including five women over 80 years old who died on Jan. 19, one woman over 80 who died on Jan. 20, and one woman between 45 and 64 years old who died on Jan. 19. 

The other two deaths reported today include a woman between 65 and 79 years old who died at Royal Victoria Regional Hospital on Jan. 20, and a woman between 65 and 79 years old who died on Jan. 19 at Georgian Bay General Hospital. Her case was linked to an outbreak at Villa Retirement Lodge in Midland. 

The new cases reported today include 52 Barrie residents, four Bradford West Gwillimbury residents, 12 Innisfil residents, and three Orillia residents.

Since the start of the pandemic, the local health unit has confirmed 4,941 cases of COVID-19 with 3,618 of those cases recovered and 101 cases ending in death. There are 1,193 active, lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region, with the majority of those in Simcoe County. 

There are 37 people from Simcoe County hospitalized, which includes four new hospitalizations reported today.

Collingwood General and Marine Hospital reported staff are currently caring for one COVID positive inpatient.

There have been 14,413 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, as well as to all eligible long-term care home residents.

As of today, 927 individuals from the region have received both doses of the vaccine.

The new cases reported in Simcoe County and Muskoka District today include:

• Barrie (52): Five boys under 18, six women and five men between 18 and 34 years old, five women and two men between 35 and 44 years old, five women and seven men between 45 and 64 years old, five women and two men between 65 and 79 years old, and seven women and three men over the age of 80. Twenty-nine cases are outbreak-related, 13 are linked to close contact, and four are attributed to community transmission. 
• Springwater (2): A boy under 18 (outbreak-related) and a man between 35 and 44 years old (community-acquired). 
• Innisfil (12):  A boy under 18, three women and a man between 18 and 34 years old, three women and a man between 35 and 44 years old, a man and a woman between 45 and 64 years old, and a woman between 65 and 79 years old. Four cases are linked to close contact, one to travel, two to outbreaks, and one to community transmission. 
• Bradford West Gwillimbury (4): Two boys under 18, a woman between 18 and 34 years old and a woman between 45 and 64 years old. One case is outbreak-related and one is community-acquired.
• Orillia (3): A man between 35 and 44 years old, and two men between 65 and 79 years old. One case is outbreak-related and one is linked to close contact. 
• Oro-Medonte (1): A man between 45 and 64 years old whose case is attributed to community transmission. 
• Penetanguishene (1): A man between 45 and 64 years old whose case is outbreak-related. 
• Severn (1): A woman between 45 and 64 years old whose case is outbreak-related. 
• Essa (5): A  boy under 18, a woman between 18 and 34 years old, and two women between 45 and 64 years old. One case is linked to close contact and one to an outbreak. 
• New Tecumseth (5): Two women and two men between 18 and 34 years old and a woman between 45 and 64 years old. Three cases are outbreak-related and two are linked to close contact.
• In Muskoka, there is a new case in Bracebridge and in Huntsville today. 

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

• Trillium Manor, Orillia, Dec. 14
• Grove Park Home (Aspen), Barrie, Jan. 4
• Roberta Place (Long-term care home), Barrie, Jan. 8
• Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (two units), Barrie, Jan. 9
• Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care (Awenda A&B), Penetanguishene, Jan. 9
• Bradford Valley Care Community (facility-wide), Bradford, Jan. 14
• IOOF (Baldwin Lane), Barrie, Jan. 15
• The Pines Long Term Care Residence, Bracebridge, Jan. 20 
• Kingsmere Retirement Living, Alliston, Jan. 20

Outbreaks declared at Georgian Manor in Penetanguishene (Dec. 27) Waterford Retirement Community in Barrie (Jan. 12) and Villa Retirement Lodge in Midland (Jan. 2) have now been declared over. 

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. 

For more one the local trajectory of COVID-19 from the health unit, click here.

*Incidence rate is number of cases per 100,000 people for the week of Jan. 10.

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