Three Collingwood COVID cases among 32 reported in region today

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported 32 new COVID-19 cases in today's update (March 30). 

The death reported today was a Bradford West Gwillimbury woman who was over 79 years old. The woman died on March 27 and her case was not linked to any outbreaks. This is the 31st death reported from Bradford.

There are 459 active, lab-confirmed cases in the region, most of which are in Simcoe County.

The health unit has reported 1,232 cases have screened positive and/or been confirmed with sequencing as variant cases. Of those, 231 are still active cases. Screening and sequencing tests can take several days, and sometimes results are not returned until after the individual has recovered. 

Sequencing and PCR tests have confirmed 788 cases of the B.1.1.7 (variant strain that originated in the UK) in Simcoe Muskoka. There have also been 18 cases of the P.1 variant that first originated in Brazil in the region and one case of the B.1.351 strain that originated in South Africa.

Since the start of the pandemic, the local health unit has confirmed 7,658 cases of COVID-19 with 6,918 of those cases recovered and 198 cases ending in death. 

There are 32 people from Simcoe County hospitalized with COVID-19, which includes eight new hospitalizations since yesterday.

The health unit has administered 89,630 doses of vaccines against COVID-19 in Simcoe Muskoka, with 3,225 doses given yesterday.

The new cases reported in Simcoe County and Muskoka District today include (case transmission is under investigation unless otherwise specified): 

• Collingwood (3): One person between 18 and 34 years old, one person between 45 and 64 years old, and one person between 65 and 79 years old. One case is attributed to community transmission.
• Springwater (1): One person between 18 and 34 years old.
• Barrie (6): One youth under 18 years old, one person between 18 and 34 years old, two people between 35 and 44 years old, and two people between 45 and 64 years old. Three cases are linked to close contact.
• Innisfil (7): One youth 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. 
• Bradford West Gwillimbury (10):  Two people between 18 and 34 years old, three people between 35 and 44 years old, four people between 45 and 64 years old, and one person between 65 and 79 years old. 
• Orillia (1): A person between 18 and 34 years old.
• Essa (2): Two people between 18 and 34 years old.
• New Tecumseth (2): A youth under 18 years old, a person between 45 and 64 years old.

For a list of ongoing outbreaks at institutions, long-term care and retirement homes and hospitals in the region, click here.

For more on the local trajectory of COVID-19 from the health unit, click here.

*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

***Weekly incidence rate is the number of cases per 100,000 people reported for the week of Mar. 21. Where municipalities have had low or no weekly increase, no rate is included