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Simcoe Muskoka Health Unit reports new COVID-related death

The health unit is also reporting five new cases since Friday
2020-07-28 SMDHU offices 2
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit offices are located on Sperling Drive in north-end Barrie. Raymond Bowe/BarrieToday

A woman from Penetanguishene has died after contracting COVID-19 as a resident at a Penetanguishene retirement home.

The woman, who was over 80 years old, was a resident at Georgian Residences. Her case was reported on July 23, and she was hospitalized around that time. 

Hers is the first COVID-related death reported in the Simcoe-Muskoka region in several weeks, and the first death reported in the Midland-Penetanguishene area. 

Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has also reported five new COVID-19 cases in Simcoe County today, which is the first update from the health unit since July 31. 

Today's new cases include individuals from Barrie, Bradford West Gwillimbury, New Tecumseth, Oro-Medonte, and Ramara. 

The Barrie case is a man between the ages of 65 and 79 years old. He is a close contact of another known case. 

The Bradford case is also a close contact and a male between the ages of 18 and 34. 

There are two new travel cases today, a woman from Oro-Medonte between the ages of 45 and 64 years old and a Ramara man in the same age group. 

There hasn't been a travel-related case in Ramara since March 27, and the last Oro-Medonte travel case was reported April 13. The last confirmed COVID case in Oro-Medonte was community-acquired and was reported July 17. 

The final case reported today is a man from New Tecumseth between the ages of 45 and 64 years old. The transmission source for his case is currently under investigation. 

Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported 662 cases of COVID-19 to date, with 631 of those cases located in Simcoe County. 

There are 604 cases now recovered and 37 people have died in the region. The health unit indicates there are 21 active cases in the region – all in Simcoe County – and three of those cases are hospitalized.

In Simcoe-Muskoka, the incidence rate for the coronavirus is 111.4 cases per 100,000 people in the population.

Case breakdown by municipality for Simcoe County as of Aug. 4

Municipality Total cases Recoveries Deaths In Hospital Last case reported Incidence rate*
Barrie 199 182 14   Aug. 4 133.3
Bradford W-G 134 114 12   Aug. 4 311.9
New Tecumseth 84 79 1 1 Aug. 4 202.7
Innisfil 53 51   1 July 23 130.1
Orillia 19 16 2 1 July 30 53.8
Collingwood 16 16     July 20 66.7
Wasaga Beach 15 14 1   June 19 65.2
Clearview 9 8 1   July 27 60.9
Springwater 15 14 1   July 20 71.4
Midland 12 12     July 24 66.9
Oro-Medonte 9 6 2   Aug. 4 38.6
Adjala-Tosorontio 9 9     June 16 77.2
Essa 17 16 1   July 22 66.9
Ramara 11 10     Aug. 4 106
Tiny 6 6     July 16 not released
Tay 9 9     July 23 not released
Penetanguishene 7 6   1 July 23 not released
Severn 7 6     July 27 not released

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


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Erika Engel

About the Author: Erika Engel

Erika regularly covers all things news in Collingwood as a reporter and editor. She has 15 years of experience as a local journalist
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