Health unit confirms 20 new COVID cases in Simcoe County today

The region's health unit has confirmed 23 new cases of COVID-19 today, including 20 in Simcoe County and three in Muskoka District. 

This week the health unit has reported 111 new cases of the coronavirus, which is the highest number of cases reported in a week for the region and is 50 per cent higher than last week's total.

Today, there are four new cases listed in connection with institutional outbreaks, including an Innisfil woman, and a New Tecumseth woman, both between 45 and 64 years old, a New Tecumseth woman over 80 years old and a New Tecumseth woman between 65 and 79 years old. 

There are currently active outbreaks at Simcoe Manor in Beeton, Bradford Valley care Community, and at IOOF (Odd Fellow and Rebekah Home) in Allandale. 

Yesterday, Simcoe County confirmed there have been 26 residents and 16 staff who have tested positive for COVID-19 since the outbreak was declared at Simcoe Manor on Sept. 29.

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported a total of 43 cases linked to the outbreak. Four residents have died, reported Simcoe County, the home's operator. 

Among today's new cases are two Barrie residents, a man and a woman, both between 45 and 64 years old. One case is community-acquired and the other is under investigation. 

There is a second Innisfil case, a boy under 18 years old, whose case is linked to close contact. 

There are also two Springwater residents on today's list of cases. One is a woman between 18 and 34 years old and the other is a woman between 45 and 64 years old. Both are linked to close contact. 

In addition to the outbreak cases in New Tecumseth, there are two community-acquired cases – a man between 45 to 64 years old and a woman between 35 and 44 years old. There is also a woman between 18 and 34 years old from New Tecumseth who has tested postive. Her case is under investigation. 

There are five new cases in Bradford, all under investigation. They include two boys under 18, a man and a woman between 45 and 64 years old, and a man between 35 and 64 years old. 

There are two new Essa cases including a boy under 18 and a woman between 65 and 79 years old, both are community-acquired cases. 

The final Simcoe County case reported today is a man between 45 and 64 years old from Adjala-Tosorontio. His case was community-acquired. 

The three Muskoka cases are all individuals from Muskoka Lakes, with a man and a woman between 45 and 64 years old and a man between 18 and 34 years old. 

Four previously-reported cases from Essa, Innisfil, Bradford, and Midland have all be reassigned to different public health units. 

There have been 17 school-related cases confirmed by school boards in Simcoe County, with the latest reported at St. Antoine Daniel Catholic School in Victoria Harbour.

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported a total of 1,029 cases of COVID-19. There are now 879 cases listed as recovered. There are 104 active cases in the region, and two people are currently hospitalized – one from Orillia and one from Innisfil. The health unit has recorded 41 deaths.

*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.