One Collingwood woman among 24 new COVID cases in Simcoe-Muskoka Friday

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported 24 new COVID-19 cases in its latest update posted Oct. 29.

The new cases reported in the region today are as follows: 

• Collingwood (1): One person between 35 and 44 years old whose case is still under investigation.
• Barrie (11): Five people under 18 years old, one person between 18 and 34 years old, two people between 35 and 44 years old, and three people between 45 and 64 years old. Five cases are linked to close contact, one is outbreak-related, and one is listed as community-acquired (no known link). Four cases are still under investigation. 
• Bradford West Gwillimbury (5): Two youth under 18 years old, one person between 18 and 34 years old, and two people between 65 and 79 years old. Two cases are linked to close contact, and three are listed as community-acquired (no known link). 
• Orillia (2): Two youth under 18 years old. One case is linked to close contact and one is listed as community-acquired (no known link). 
• Ramara (1): One person between 65 and 79 years old whose case is linked to close contact transmission.
• Severn (1): One person between 45 and 64 years old whose case is under investigation. 
• Penetanguishene (1): One person between 35 and 44 years old whose case is outbreak-related.
• Tiny (1): One person between 45 and 64 years old whose case is linked to close contact transmission. 
• Muskoka District (1): One person from Gravenhurst between 18 and 34 years old. Teh case is still under investigation. 

Included in the new cases reported today are 18 unvaccinated, one partially vaccinated, and five fully vaccinated people. 

There are currently 174 active cases in the region. 

Nine people from Simcoe County are hospitalized with COVID-19.

Since the start of the pandemic, the local health unit has confirmed 13,994 cases of COVID-19 with 13,556 of those cases recovered and 264 cases ending in death. 

According to the health unit, the deaths include fewer than five people who were fully vaccinated, and seven people who were partially vaccinated. 

Nearly 73 per cent of the population living in Simcoe-Muskoka (including children) have received both doses of vaccine and 76 per cent have had at least one dose of a vaccine.

The health unit reported the rate of infection in unvaccinated individuals who are eligible for a vaccine is 10 times higher than it is for someone who is fully vaccinated. The rate of hospitalization is 19 times higher for unvaccinated people compared to vaccinated. Those observations are based on data collected between Aug. 29 and Oct. 23. 

For more on the vaccination status of Simcoe-Muskoka cases, click here.

Anyone born in 2009 or earlier living in Simcoe-Muskoka region can book their first or second dose of vaccine online via Ontario vaccine booking system. More appointments are added regularly for clinics throughout the region.

School outbreaks

There are three active outbreaks in schools in Simcoe County. 

There are outbreaks at two Barrie schools, including Portage View Elementary School (two cases), and Assikinack Public School (six cases). The outbreaks were declared Oct. 21 and 22 respectively. 

There are now 24 cases associated with an outbreak at Holy Cross Public School in Innisfil, with the outbreak declared Oct. 15. 

Breakdown by municipality

The health unit does sometimes remove a case or move them based on further investigation of location data. The chart below reflects updated totals for each municipality as reported by the health unit on Oct. 29. Vaccination data is as of Oct. 28.

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~Fully-vaccinated means an individual whose second dose was 14 or more days before the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.

*Cumulative incidence rate is the number of cases per 100,000 people reported to date

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