The health unit has listed ten new cases on its website, including four cases in Barrie, three in Bradford, one in Oro-Medontde, one in Penetanguishene, and one in Gravenhurst.
The three new Bradford cases are all residents of Bradford Valley long-term care home, and include two women in their 90s and a man in his 80s. One Bradford Valley patient has been hospitalized, reported the region's medical officer of health, Dr. Charles Gardner, today.
“We know this is a virus that can hit elderly people very hard, and the potential for it leading to death is quite high,” said Gardner.
In Barrie, the cases include a woman in her 70s, a man in his 20s, and a male in his 10s, all cases of close contact, and all self isolating. The health unit is also reporting a man in his 60s from Barrie who acquired the virus through community transmission. He is reported as recovered.
Gardner said the Barrie man who is listed as recovered was "likely" delayed in getting testing due to previous direction from the province to reserve testing for specific cases with travel links, or for health care workers.
The Oro-Medonte case is a man in his 80s with a history of travel. He is self-isolating.
The Penetanguishene case is a man in his 60s believed to be a close contact of a known case. He is self-isolating.
A Collingwood woman in her 70s previously reported (on April 11) as a confirmed case has now been hospitalized.
The new case in Oro-Medonte is a man in his 80s with a travel history. He is self-isolating.
The case breakdown for towns and cities in Simcoe County is as follows: Bradford W-G (39), Barrie (31), New Tecumseth (17), Orillia (10), Collingwood (7), Innisfil (5), Springwater (5), Midland (4), Wasaga Beach (4), Oro-Medonte (4), Adjala-Tosorontio (2), Clearview (2), Essa (2), Ramara (2), Tiny (2), Penetanguishene (2).
There are also 12 cases confirmed in the Muskoka Region, including Gravenhurst (6), Huntsville (4), Muskoka Lakes (2), and Lake of Bays (1).
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is reporting 62 recoveries, 47 people self-isolating, 22 isolated at Bradford Valley, 11 people hospitalized, and eight deaths linked to COVID-19. In total, there have been 151 confirmed cases of the virus (including recoveries and deaths).
Those who have died with the virus include two men in Barrie in their 70s, an Orillia couple in their 70s and 80s, a Wasaga Beach man in his 70s, an Oro-Medonte man in his 70s, a man in his 90s who was a resident at Bradford Valley long-term care facility, and a Muskoka Lakes man in his 80s.
There are now 42 community-acquired cases of COVID-19 in Simcoe County and Muskoka, and 33 cases of close contact, 23 cases in a long-term care facility, and 45 are travel-related. Six cases remain under investigation.
