Health unit reports 1 death, 34 new COVID cases in region today

Update: The health unit has updated their reporting to state the woman whose death was reported on Nov. 19 contracted COVID-19 through a congregate setting outbreak. 

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The Simcoe Muskok District Health Unit has reported the death of a Barrie woman

The woman who died was over 80 years old, and her case was linked to a congregate setting outbreak. 

The health unit reported a total of 34 new cases today, 32 of which are Simcoe County residents, and two are from Muskoka District. 

On the list of cases reported today are eight Barrie seniors whose cases are linked to a congregate settingoutbreak. The outbreak cases include six women over 80 years old, one man over 80 years old, and a man between 65 and 79 years old. The health unit has not yet reported which congregate setting the cases are linked to.

According to the health unit, a congregate setting is a location where a group of people live permanently or temporarily such as a group home, supportive housing, or a shelter.

In addition to the eight outbreak-related cases in Barrie, there are 11 other Barrie residents among the new COVID cases reported today. The other cases include two girls and a boy under 18, a woman and another person whose sex has not been identified between 18 and 34 years old, and five women and one man between 45 and 64 years old. Two of the cases are linked to close contact with another case and the remaining eight are still under investigation. 

There is also a new case today in Springwater. A man between 45 and 64 years old tested positive. His transmission source is still under investigation. 

There are four new cases reported in Innisfil today, including one woman between 45 and 64 years old whose case is linked to an institutional outbreak outside of the health unit's jurisdiction. There were two close contact cases in Innisfil - both woman, one between 18 and 34 years old and the other between 35 and 44 years old. The final Innisifl case reported today is a man between 45 and 64 years old whose case is under investigation. 

In Bradford, there are three new COVID cases including a boy under 18, a man between 35 and 44 years old, and a woman between 45 and 64 years old. All three transmission sources are still under investigation. 

There is one new case in Midland today – a woman between 45 and 64 years old – which is linked to close contact. 

There is one new case in New Tecumseth, a girl under 18 whose case is linked to close contact. An Adjala-Tosorontio woman between 45 and 64 years old is also on the list of new cases reported today. The transmission source for her case is still under investigation. There is also one new Essa case involving a woman between 45 and 64 years old. The transmission source is still under investigation.

The final case reported in Simcoe County today is a Penetanguishene man between 45 and 64 years old. The transmission source for his case is also under investigation. 

The two Muskoka District cases are both from Muskoka Lakes and involve a woman between 45 and 64 years old and a man over the age of 80. 

Outbreaks previously declared at Waterford Retirement Community and IOOF in Barrie have been declared over now. There are still active outbreaks at Simcoe Manor in Beeton, Allandale Station Retirement Residence in Barrie, Sunset Manor in Collingwood, and Holland Gardens Retirement Residence in Bradford. 

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported a total of 1,799 cases of COVID-19, with 1,711 of those in Simcoe County. There are 1,523 cases listed as recovered in the region. Seven people are currently hospitalized, and of those six are Simcoe County residents. The health unit has recorded 52 deaths.

The incidence rate for Simcoe County is 315 cases per 100,000 people.

The Simcoe-Muskoka region is currently in the yellow "protect" category of the Ontario COVID-19 COVID restrictions framework. The weekly incidence rate is 25.7 cases per 100,000 people per week and the reproductive number is 1.1, meaning each person with COVID transmits the virus to 1.1 other people. The region's per cent positivity rate is 1.9 per cent.

According to the province's plan, regions can be placed under the orange "restrict" level with a weekly incidence rate of 25 to 39.9 cases per 100,000 and a per cent positivity 1.3 to 2.4 per cent and a reproductive rate between 1 and 1.1. 

 *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