The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported four deaths and eight new hospitalizations in its latest report (Jan. 18),
The four deaths reported today include three Simcoe County residents and one man from Muskoka.
- A woman over 79 years old from Simcoe County died on Jan. 13.
- A man between 65 and 79 years old from Simcoe County died on Jan. 16.
- A woman between 65 and 79 years old from Simcoe County died on Jan. 17. Her case was linked to an outbreak.
- A man between 45 and 64 years old from Muskoka District died on Jan. 14.
There are approximately 31 Simcoe-Muskoka residents hospitalized for COVID-19. Area hospitals, however, may also accept patients from outside of the region.
While provincial testing guidelines prioritize testing for people living and working in high-risk congregate care settings and hospitalized patients, and test results are delayed by several days, the health unit is reporting 319 new cases today.
Locally, about 20 per cent of the people who were tested for COVID received a positive result. The health unit's goal is for this rate (per cent positivity) to be at one per cent, which would indicate the amount of testing that is occurring is enough to catch most of the COVID transmission happening in the community.
Among the cases reported today are 59 unvaccinated people, seven partially vaccinated people, and 179 fully vaccinated people.
The health unit is reporting cases within the region, but is not providing further breakdowns on the primary residence municipality of the people who test positive.
About 37 per cent of the total population of Simcoe-Muskoka region (including children too young to get the vaccine) now has three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, 38 per cent has two doses, five per cent has one dose, and 19 per cent have no doses of a COVID vaccine.
Since July 18, 2021, COVID hospitalizations in the region have included 155 unvaccinated people, 14 partially vaccinated people and 63 fully vaccinated people.
In the same time frame, COVID-related ICU admissions have included 42 unvaccinated people and ten fully vaccinated people.
Since July, the deaths reported by the health unit include 26 people who were unvaccinated and 16 were fully vaccinated. Fewer than five of the deaths during that time were partially vaccinated individuals.
Since the start of the pandemic, the local health unit has confirmed 28,883 cases of COVID-19 with 19,273 of those cases recovered and 302 cases ending in death.
There are 98 active outbreaks in Simcoe-Muskoka, including 48 in institutional settings (hospitals, long-term care, retirement homes), 40 in congregate settings (group homes, shelters), and 10 at child care centres.
The institutional outbreaks in Simcoe County with more than 10 cases reported include:
- The Barrieview Retirement Home in Barrie, 25 resident cases and five staff cases
- Trillium Manor Long-Term Care Home in Orillia, 18 resident cases and fewer than five staff cases
- Bay Haven Care Community in Collingwood, eight resident cases and seven staff cases
- Bradford Valley Care Community, eight resident cases and 12 staff cases
- IOOF long-term care home in Barrie, 11 resident cases and 22 staff cases
- Birchmere Retirement Home in Orillia, 20 resident cases and eight staff cases
- Grove Park Long-Term Care Home in Barrie, six resident cases and eight staff cases
- Waterford Retirement Residence in Barrie, 10 resident cases and fewer than five staff cases
- Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre IOOF long-term care home, 19 resident cases and 19 staff cases
- Atrium Retirement Home in Orillia, 34 resident cases and fewer than five staff cases
- Sundial Lakeview Retirement Lodge in Orillia, 20 resident cases and five staff cases
- Mill Creek Care Centre in Barrie, 15 resident cases and 16 staff cases.
- Owen Hill Long-Term Care Home in Barrie, 10 resident cases and fewer than five staff cases
- Leacock Care Centre in Orillia, 14 resident cases and 12 staff cases
- Woods Park Long-Term Care Home in Barrie, seven resident cases and 16 staff cases
Case counts for outbreaks reported by the health unit may be delayed and therefore could be underestimated.
