Seven local residents among 141 new COVID-19 cases in region since Friday

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported 141 new COVID-19 cases in today's update (March 22), which includes all cases reported to the health unit since Friday.

Today's update also includes two deaths. The deaths reported today include an Innisfil and a Barrie woman, both over the age of 79 years old, and both were considered sporadic cases (not linked to outbreaks). One woman died on March 14 and the other on March 19. 

There are 453 active, lab-confirmed cases in the region, most of which are in Simcoe County.

The health unit has reported 1,006 cases have screened positive and/or been confirmed with sequencing as variant cases, which is up by 120 cases since Friday's update. Of those, 223 are still active cases. Screening and sequencing tests can take several days, and sometimes results are not returned until after the individual has recovered. 

Sequencing tests have confirmed 290 cases of the B.1.1.7 (variant strain that originated in the UK) in Simcoe Muskoka. There have also been eight cases of the P.1 variant that first originated in Brazil in the region and one case of the B.1.351 strain that originated in South Africa.

Since the start of the pandemic, the local health unit has confirmed 7,301 cases of COVID-19 with 6,577 of those cases recovered and 195 cases ending in death. 

There are 22 people from Simcoe County hospitalized with COVID-19, which includes four new hospitalizations since Friday. 

The health unit has administered 68,627 doses of vaccines against COVID-19 in Simcoe Muskoka. 

The new cases reported in Simcoe County and Muskoka District today include (case transmission is under investigation unless otherwise specified): 

• Penetanguishene (2): Two men between 18 and 34 years old. One case is outbreak-related.
• Midland (5): A youth under 18 years old, two people between 18 and 34 years old, and two people between 45 and 64 years old. Three cases are linked to close contact and one was community-acquired.
• Collingwood (3):  A man and two women between 18 and 34 years old. One case is attributed to community transmission (no known epidemiological link). 
• Wasaga Beach (5): A man and a woman between 45 and 64 years old, a man and a woman between 65 and 79 years old, and a man over 79 years old. One case is linked to close contact and one is attributed to community transmission. 
• Clearview (2): A youth under 18 and a man between 18 and 34 years old. One case is linked to close contact.
• Barrie (45): Eight youth under 18 years old, 19 people between 18 and 34 years old, four people between 35 and 44 years old, nine people between 45 and 64 years old, and five people between 65 and 79 years old. One case is linked to an outbreak, four are attributed to community transmission, and 22 are linked to close contact. 
• Springwater (3): A man between 18 and 34 years old, and a man and a woman between 45 and 64 years old. 
• Innisfil (12): Two youth under 18 years old. two women between 18 and 34 years old, a man and two women between 35 and 44 years old, and women and three women between 45 and 64 years old. Four cases are linked to close contact and two are linked to an outbreak.
• Bradford West Gwillimbury (24): Four youth under 18 years old, nine people between 18 and 34 years old, four people between 35 and 44 years old, two people between 45 and 64 years old, and five people between 65 and 79 years old. Three cases are attributed to community transmission, one is linked to an outbreak, and 13 are linked to close contact.
• Orillia (2): A woman and a man between 18 and 34 years old. Both cases are linked to close contact. 
• Penetanguishene (2): Two men between 18 and 34 years old. One case is outbreak-related.
• Midland (5): A youth under 18 years old, two people between 18 and 34 years old, and two people between 45 and 64 years old. Three cases are linked to close contact and one was community-acquired.
• Severn (5): Two youth under 18 years old, two people between 18 and 34 years old, and a person between 45 and 64 years old. Four cases are attributed to community transmission and one to close contact.
• Essa (5): A youth under 18 years old, a person between 18 and 34 years old, one person between 35 and 44 years old, and two people between 45 and 64 years old. One case is linked to an outbreak, one to close contact, and one to community transmission. 
• New Tecumseth (24): Three youth under 18 years old, eight people between 18 and 34 years old, two between 35 and 44 years old,  eight people between 45 and 64 years old, and four people between 65 and 79 years old. Seven cases are linked to close contact, one to travel, and two to outbreaks.
• Adjala-Tosorontio (3): Three people between 45 and 64 years old, and two cases are linked to close contact. 
• One case is listed with location information still pending. 

For a list of ongoing outbreaks at institutions, long-term care and retirement homes and hospitals in the region, click here.

For more on the local trajectory of COVID-19 from the health unit, click here.

*Cumulative incidence rate is the number of cases per 100,000 people reported to date

**Total cases include the number of cases currently recovering at home as well as any that have recovered, died, or are in hospital

***Weekly incidence rate is the number of cases per 100,000 people reported for the week of Mar. 7. Where municipalities have had low or no weekly increase, no rate is included