Five Orillia residents among 248 new COVID cases in region

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported 248 new cases of COVID-19 in the region since its last update on Dec. 31.

The health unit has also confirmed three more deaths today, including one Bradford resident and two New Tecumseth residents.

Since the pandemic began in March, 66 Simcoe County residents have died after contracting COVID-19. The deaths include a man between 65 and 79 years old who died at Southlake Regional Health Centre, a man between 65 and 79 years old whose case was linked to the outbreak at Trillium Manor in Orillia and a man over 80 whose case is linked to an outbreak at Kinsmere Retirement Home in Alliston last month.

Included on the health unit's Jan. 4 list of new COVID-19 cases are 66 Barrie residents, five Collingwood residents, 13 Wasaga Beach residents, one Clearview resident, 45 Bradford West Gwillimbury residents, 22 Innisfil residents, five Orillia residents, and nine 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
• 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
• Woods Park Care Centre Retirement Home, Barrie, Jan. 1
• Villa Retirement Lodge, Midland, Jan 2
• Simcoe Manor, Tosorontio Unit, Beeton, Jan. 3
• Grove Park Home (Aspen), Barrie, Jan. 4

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 (5): A man between 35 and 44 years old, and two women and two men between 45 and 64 years old. Two cases are linked to an institutional outbreak and one to close contact. 
• Oro-Medonte (1): A man between 45 and 64 years old whose case is attributed to close contact.
• Severn (3): A girl under 17, a man between 18 and 34 years old and a woman between 45 and 64 years old. Two cases are attributed to close contact. 
• Collingwood (5): Two women between 18 and 34 years old, a man and a woman between 45 and 65 years old and a man between 65 and 79 years old. 
• Wasaga Beach (13): A girl under 18 whose case is linked to an educational setting outbreak. Two women and two men between 18 and 34 years old, a woman and three men between 45 and 64 years old, two women and a man between 65 and 79 years old and a woman over the age of 80. Four cases are linked to close contact and two are attributed to community transmission. 
• Clearview (1):  A woman between 45 and 64 years old.
• Barrie (66): Two girls and nine boys under 18, 12 women and 11 men between 18 and 34 years old, four women and two men between 35 and 44 years old, 15 women and five men between 45 and 64 years old, and two women and four men between 65 and 79 years old. Ten cases are attributed to close contact, three to community transmission, and one to a workplace outbreak outside of the region. 
• Springwater (3): Two women between 18 and 34 years old and one man between 45 and 64 years old. 
• Innisfil (22): A girl under 18 whose case was community-acquired. Four women and four men between 18 and 34 years old, three women and five men between 35 and 44 years old, and three women and two men between 45 and 64 years old. One case is attributed to close contact and one to an educational setting outbreak out of the region. 
• Bradford West Gwillimbury (45): Three girls and five boys under 18 years old, five women and 10 men between 18 and 34 years old, four women and two men between 35 and 44 years old, seven women and six men between 45 and 64 years old, two women between 65 and 79 years old and a woman over 80. Eight cases are attributed to close contact, two to educational setting outbreaks, and two to outbreaks outside of the region. 
• Midland (9): Two women and a man between 18 and 34 years old, three women and a man between 45 and 64 years old, and two men between 65 and 79 years old. Three cases are attributed to close contact and one to an institutional outbreak. 
• Penetanguishene (5): One woman between 18 and 34 years old, one woman and two men between 45 and 64 years old and a man between 65 and 79 years old. One case is linked to an institutional outbreak, and one to a workplace outbreak out of the region.
• Tay (3): A woman between 35 and 44 years old, and a man and a woman over 80.
• Tiny (1): A woman between 45 and 64 years old whose case is linked to close contact. 
• Essa (14): A boy and girl under 18, three women and four men between 18 and 34 years old, a man between 35 and 44 years old, three women and a man between 45 and 64 years old. One case is attributed to community transmission. 
• New Tecumseth (31): Two girls and five boys under 18, eight women and three men between 18 and 34 years old, a man and a woman between 35 and 44 years old, six women and two men between 45 and 64 years old, a man and a woman between 65 and 79 years old, and a man over the age of 80. Five cases are attributed to close contact, and two to outbreaks out of the region. 
• Georgian Bay (1): A man between 65 and 79 years old whose case is linked to close contact.
• Adjala-Tosorontio (4): A woman between 18 and 34 years old, and two women and a man between 45 and 64 years old. 
• In Muskoka District there are three new cases in Bracebridge, three in Gravenhurst, two in Huntsville, and one in Lake of Bays, 
• There are seven cases with location information pending. They include two girls under 18, a woman between 18 and 34 years old, a woman and two men between 35 and 44 years old and a man between 45 and 64 years old.

The local health unit has now confirmed 3,833 cases of COVID-19 with 2,525 of those cases recovered and 69 cases ending in death. There are more than 1,100 active, lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region, with the majority of those in Simcoe County.

There are at least 29 people from Simcoe County hospitalized. There are two people hospitalized with COVID-19 at Collingwood General and Marine Hospital. 

*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