Four more people from the Simcoe-Muskoka region have died after contracting COVID-19 and nine people have been hospitalized , according to the latest update from the local health unit posted Jan. 27.
All four of the people who died were from Simcoe County, including a woman over 79 years old, a man in his 70s, a man over 79 years old, and a woman in her 50s. Three of the deaths occurred on Jan. 25 and one on Jan. 26. Three cases were linked to outbreaks.
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported 61 people from the region are hospitalized because of COVID-19, which includes nine new hospitalizations since yesterday.
Since July 18, 2021, hospitalizations of Simcoe-Muskoka residents over 12 years old have included 100 fully vaccinated people, 14 partially vaccinated, and 193 unvaccinated people. Of those, 47 unvaccinated, fewer than five partially vaccinated, and 13 fully vaccinated people have been admitted to intensive care units.
Available capacity at the region's hospitals is low with almost 93 per cent of intensive care unit beds occupied, 52 per cent of ventilator beds, and nearly 83 per cent of acute care (non-ICU) beds occupied.
In the last six months, 26 fully vaccinated people and fewer than five partially vaccinated have died after contracting COVID. Over the same time period, 47 unvaccinated people have died after contracting COVID-19.
While provincial testing guidelines prioritize testing for people living and working in high-risk congregate care settings and hospitalized patients, and test results are delayed by several days, the health unit is reporting 239 new cases today.
Among the cases reported today are 61 unvaccinated people, 13 partially vaccinated people, and 107 fully vaccinated people.
Since the start of the pandemic, the local health unit has confirmed 31,138 cases of COVID-19 with 26,310 of those cases recovered and 333 cases ending in death.
About 14 per cent of the region's population over five years old is unvaccinated, and 44 per cent has three doses of a vaccine against COVID. Another 37 per cent of the population has two doses and about five per cent has one dose.
There are 75 active outbreaks in Simcoe-Muskoka, including 38 in institutional settings (hospitals, long-term care, retirement homes), 20 in congregate settings (group homes, shelters), and 17 at child care centres.
There are active outbreaks in five Orillia long-term care/retirement homes. They are as follows:
- Atrium
- one outbreak declared Jan. 4 with 35 resident cases and seven staff cases
- Champlain Manor
- one outbreak declared Jan. 19 with less than five resident cases and less than five staff cases
- Sundial Lakeview Retirement Lodge
- one outbreak declared Jan. 5 with 20 resident cases and six staff cases
- Birchmere
- one outbreak declared Jan. 6 with 34 resident cases and 16 staff cases
- Spencer House (Oak Unit)
- one outbreak declared Jan. 6 with less than five resident cases and eight staff cases
As of Jan. 26, absences of students and staff were reported by the province at the following Orillia schools on Jan. 27:
- Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir – ÉÉC Samuel de Champlain – 9.6%
- Simcoe County District School Board – Couchiching Heights PS – 21.5%
- Simcoe County District School Board – Harriett Todd PS – 24.6%
- Simcoe County District School Board – Lions Oval PS – 27.3%
- Simcoe County District School Board – Orchard Park PS – 18%
- Simcoe County District School Board – Orillia Secondary School – 20.4%
- Simcoe County District School Board – Regent Park PS – 19.4 %
- Simcoe County District School Board – Severn Shores PS – 22%
- Simcoe County District School Board – Twin Lakes Secondary School – 19.4%
- Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board – Monsignor Lee –16%
- Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board – Notre Dame – 8.8%
- Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board – Patrick Fogarty Secondary School – 12.2%
- Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board – St. Bernard's – 14.4%
The percentage refers to a combined percentage of students and staff who are reported as absent. The number of absences has declined at all but two schools since Monday.
