56 new COVID cases in region today, including three Orillia residents

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported 56 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region today.

The health unit has also confirmed one more death today. The most recent three deaths reported by the health unit have been individuals whose cases were connected to two hospital outbreaks. A woman over 80 years old and a man between 65 and 79 years old died at Georgian Bay General Hospital in Midland. A woman over 80 years old died at Southlake Regional Health Centre after contracting COVID-19. The health unit has confirmed all three were Simcoe County residents.

Included on the health unit's Dec. 30 list of new COVID-19 cases are 10 Barrie residents, one Collingwood resident, two Wasaga Beach residents, 11 Bradford West Gwillimbury residents, three Innisfil residents, three Orillia residents, and four Midland residents.

There is a lag in the data presented in the daily updates because of an increase in cases. 

The health unit has also declared COVID outbreaks (all of which are still ongoing) at the following facilities: 

• Georgian Bay General Hospital in Midland, outbreak declared Dec. 4
• Central North Correctional Centre (unit six), Penetanguishene, declared Dec. 14 
• Trillium Manor, Orillia, Dec. 14
• Revera Sara Vista, Elmvale, Dec. 25
• Lakeside Retirement, Innisfil, Dec. 26
• Good Samaritan Retirement Lodge, Alliston, Dec. 26 
• Unnamed child care centre, Wasaga Beach, Dec. 27 
• Georgian Manor, Penetanguishene, Dec. 27
• Tiffin Retirement Residence (first floor), Midland, Dec. 27
• Roger's Cove Retirement Residence, Huntsville, Dec. 29

The provincial government requires an outbreak be declared at a retirement or long-term care home where one staff or resident tests positive. There does not have to be evidence of spread within the home for an outbreak to be declared. In most other cases, the health unit does not declare an outbreak unless there is evidence of transmission at the facility. 

The breakdown of cases provided by the health unit is as follows. All case transmissions are under investigation unless otherwise indicated: 

• Orillia (3): A woman between 45 and 64 years old and a man and a woman between 65 and 79 years old.
• Collingwood (1): A woman between 45 and 64 years old.
• Wasaga Beach (2): A boy under 18 and a woman between 45 and 64 years old.
• Barrie (10): Three women and four men between 18 and 34 years old, a man and a woman between 35 and 44 years old and a man between 45 and 64 years old whose case is linked to close contact with another case.
• Springwater (2): A boy under 18 and a man between 18 and 34 years old.
• Innisfil (3): A boy under 18 (close contact) and a man and a woman between 45 and 64 years old. 
• Bradford West Gwillimbury (11): A boy and a girl under 18, a man and a woman between 18 and 34 years old, three women between 35 and 44, and a woman and three men between 45 and 64 years old.
• Midland (4): A boy under 18, and two women and a man between 45 and 64 years old. 
• Penetanguishene (3): Two women and a man between 65 and 79 years old. One case is linked to an institutional outbreak.
• Tay (2): A man between 18 and 34 (close contact) and a woman over 80 years old.
• Severn (3): A woman between 45 and 64 years old, and a man and a woman between 65 and 79 years old.
• Essa (2): A man between 45 and 64 years old and a woman between 65 and 79 years old.
• Adjala-Tosorontio (1): A man between 35 and 44 years old. 
• New Tecumseth (4): Two men between 18 and 34 years old, a woman between 35 and 44, and a man between 45 and 64.
• In Muskoka District there is a new case in Huntsville. 
• There are four cases with location information and transmission source pending. They include two men between 18 and 34 years old, and two women between 45 and 64 years old.

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported 322 new cases of COVID-19 since Dec. 24.

Since the pandemic began, the local health unit has now confirmed 3,519 cases of COVID-19 with 2,496 of those cases recovered and 64 cases ending in death. There are more than 900 active, lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region, with the majority of those in Simcoe County.

There are at least 27 people from Simcoe County hospitalized. 

Approximately half of all new infections reported by the health unit in December were linked to close contact with another case. About 20 per cent were reported as community-acquired, which means there is no known source of infection.

*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