43 new COVID cases, 2 deaths reported by Simcoe Muskoka health unit today

Editor's note: a previous version of this story indicated there were three new COVID-related deaths since Friday. There have been two deaths and the third death was already reported on Friday (a New Tecumseth resident living at Simcoe Manor). CollingwoodToday apologizes for the error. 

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The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported 43 new COVID cases and two deaths today, the first update from the region's health unit since Friday, Oct. 16. 

The deaths reported by the health unit today include a man from Innisfil between 65 and 79 years old who died at Royal Victoria Regional Health Care Centre on Oc. 18 and a man between 65 and 79 years old from Orillia who died at Soldiers Memorial Hospital on Oct. 16.

There is one new case in Wasaga Beach and one in Clearview on the health unit list today. The Wasaga case is a woman between 45 and 64 years old (community-acquired) and the Clearview case is a man between 18 and 34 (close contact).

Among the new cases today are 14 Barrie residents including one boy under 18, two women and one man between 18 and 34 years old, one woman between 35 and 44 years old, two women and four men between 45 and 64 years old, and two women and a man between 65 and 79 years old. There are eight cases of close contact, two community-acquired, one related to an institutional outbreak, and three cases still under investigation. 

There is one new, community-acquired case in Bradford West-Gwillimbury – a man between 18 and 34 years old. 

There are three new cases in Essa including a woman between 18 and 35, and two men between 45 and 64 years old. The woman was a close contact case, one man acquired his case through community transmission and the third case is under investigation. 

There are four new cases in Innisfil include a girl under 18, and two men and one woman between 35 and 44 years old. One case is close contact, the other three are under investigation. 

There are 12 New Tecumseth cases, including four connected to an institutional outbreak at Simcoe Manor long-term care home. Those cases include one woman over 80 years old, and three women between 45 and 64 years old. There's a New Tecumseth case (a woman between 35 and 44 years old) associated with a congregate setting outbreak. The remaining seven cases include a boy and a girl under 18, a man between 35 and 44 years old, a man and a woman between 45 and 64 years old, a man between 45 and 64 years old and a man over the age of 80. Those cases are attributed to close contact or are still under investigation. 

An update posted by Simcoe County yesterday at 5:30 p.m. states 40 residents and 28 staff at the facility have tested positive for COVID-19, and six residents have died.

The final two cases reported in Simcoe County today include a Penetaguisheen woman between 65 and 79 years old (close contact) and a Severn man between 45 and 64 years old (under investigation). 

There were two Muskoka Lakes cases and three cases from Huntsville also included in the list today. The three Huntsville cases are all between 18 and 34 years old (two men and one woman), and the Muskoka Lakes cases are both women between 45 and 64 years old. 

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported a total of 1,164 cases of COVID-19, with 1,087 of those in Simcoe County. There are 977 cases listed as recovered. three people are currently hospitalized The health unit has recorded 46 deaths.

The incidence rate for Simcoe-Muskoka region is 196 cases per 100,000 people.

*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.