The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is advising the overall COVID-19 risk level in the region is "high" because of week-over-week increases in cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
The health unit is advising people use more layers of protection for themselves and those around them, this can include wearing a mask and not visiting crowded spaces. But those measures are voluntary. As always, the health unit strongly urges people not to leave home if they are sick and experiencing symptoms of illness.
The health unit reported 206 new cases for the current week so far, and 464 last week, which is a 17 per cent increase over the 396 cases reported for the week of Oct. 2.
As of Oct. 19, there's an average of 40 cases of COVID confirmed in the region each day.
Testing is limited and most cases are going unreported as people are testing at home.
Today (Oct. 20) the health unit confirmed six more deaths and 10 new hospitalizations since the last report on Oct. 13. The most recent deaths include a woman and a man in their 60s, a woman in her 70s, and two women and a man in their 80s. All six people were from Simcoe County. Three of the fatal cases were related to long-term care home outbreaks, and one to a hospital outbreak.
There are 26 area residents currently hospitalized because of COVID-19. By hospitalization date, there were four COVID patients admitted during the week of Oct. 2-8, and five admitted during the week of Oct. 9-15.
There were eight deaths reported between Oct. 9 and 15, and four reported between Oct. 2 and 8.
There are 39 active outbreaks in the region, including 35 at institutional settings like hospitals or long-term care homes (which is 10 more than last week), and four at congregate settings like group homes and shelters.
Since the start of the pandemic, the local health unit has confirmed 52,282 cases of COVID-19, with 50,927 of those cases recovered and 589 cases ending in death.
Of the deaths reported by the health unit since March 2020, 495 were COVID-19-related, 83 deaths were not related to COVID-19 but the person tested positive, and for 11 of them, the cause of death is unknown or pending.
To date, 83 per cent of the population aged five years old and up are fully vaccinated with two or more doses, and 18 per cent of the region’s total population (including children) is unvaccinated.
Wastewater monitoring in Penetanguishene, Midland, Orillia, and Collingwood show COVID-19 virus DNA as present in each of the communities, but there's been no increase or decrease noted in the last week. Monitoring in Bracebridge shows an increase in virus DNA in the wastewater, and monitoring in Barrie shows a decrease.
Anyone who has not yet received their COVID-19 vaccination or booster doses is encouraged to do so as soon as they are eligible. Information about eligibility and clinic locations is available at smdhu.org/GetVaccinated.
