The current COVID-19 risk in Simcoe County and Muskoka is "moderate" with indicators holding steady or decreasing week-over-week, according to the latest information from the health unit.
There are 11 people from the region currently hospitalized because of COVID, reports the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. Hospitalizations have been decreasing since the last peak of 32 people hospitalized mid-January.
There have been two deaths reported in February so far, but reporting is delayed. There were 29 deaths reported in January and 24 in December. Since March 2020, there have been 711 deaths reported in the region, including 574 that were COVID-19 related, and 127 unrelated to COVID-19. The cause of ten of the deaths is unknown or still pending.
The seven-day rolling average of new COVID-19 cases has been on the decline since a high peak at the end of December when there were 500 new cases per day. The latest average is about 24 new cases per day.
Weekly wastewater sampling in Orillia, Midland, Collingwood, and Bracebridge shows high SARS-CoV-2 signals (that's the virus that causes COVID-19) in the communities, but with no increase or decrease. There is a decrease in wastewater samples taken in Penetanguishene recently.
Those trends and indicators imply a "moderate" risk of COVID-19 in the community, or about the same as the bottom third of wave five of the pandemic, which was driven by the omicron variant, according to the health unit's ranking system.
The health unit continues to recommend staying home if you are sick, and taking extra precautions if you test positive for COVID but have no symptoms, and/or if you've been exposed to someone with COVID. Wearing a three-layer, well-fitted mask indoors in public settings is still recommended.
Based on data collected over 120 days, the rate of COVID-19 hospitalization and ICU admission among unvaccinated or partially vaccinated adults aged 60 years or older is three times higher compared with adults with at least one booster dose. The rate of death for the same age range is two times higher for unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people compared to those with one booster dose.
Vaccination remains an important defence against severe COVID-19, says the health unit. Within the region, 13 per cent of the total population aged 12 years or older is unvaccinated, 30 per cent has completed the primary (two-dose) series only, and the rest have had booster doses, with 23 per cent getting a booster in the last six months.
For more information on COVID-19, vaccinations, and public health advice, visit the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit website.
