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Nine new COVID cases confirmed in Simcoe-Muskoka Wednesday

There are five new cases in Penetanguishene
2020-07-28 SMDHU offices 2
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit offices are located on Sperling Drive in north-end Barrie. Raymond Bowe/BarrieToday

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported nine new COVID-19 cases in today's update (June 23).  

There are 110 active cases in the region. 

Since the start of the pandemic, the local health unit has confirmed 12,233 cases of COVID-19 with 11,453 of those cases recovered and 249 cases ending in death.

There are 14 people from Simcoe County hospitalized with COVID-19 related illness. There have been no new hospitalizations since yesterday. Eight of the people currently hospitalized had no dose of COVID vaccine, and two people had two doses more than seven days prior to the onset of symptoms of COVID-19, according to the health unit.

The health unit has reported a total of 4,875 variant strain cases, with 72 of those still active. 

Today's update also includes the following information on variants of concern: 

  • To date 3,977 local cases have tested positive for the COVID-19 variant of concern B.1.1.7 (alpha),
  • 164 cases have tested positive for the P.1 (gamma) variant of concern, no increase
  • 32 cases have tested positive for the B.1.351 (beta) variant of concern, no increase
  • 33 cases have tested positive for the B.1.617.2 (delta) variant of concern, which is up from 21 reported yesterday
  • 669 cases have screened positive (awaiting confirmatory testing).

To date, 385,485 Simcoe-Muskoka residents (63.8 per cent of the population) region have received their first dose of vaccination against COVID-19, and 113,112 people (18.7 per cent of the population) have also received a second dose. 

According to the health unit, 21 per cent of the region's adult population (aged 18 and over) have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, and another 53 per cent have received one dose. The remaining 26 per cent is unvaccinated. 

There are two active outbreaks in the region, and both are at group homes in Simcoe County. One outbreak involves six cases and the other involves 17 cases. 

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

  • Barrie (1): one person between 45 and 64 years old whose case is listed as community-acquired (no known link). 
  • Wasaga Beach (1): One person between 18 and 34 years old. 
  • Ramara (1): One youth under 18 years old whose case is linked to travel. 
  • Severn (2): A youth under 18 years old and one person between 45 and 64 years old. 
  • Penetanguishene (5): Three people between 35 and 44 years old and two people between 45 and 64 years old. All five cases are outbreak-related. 

The health unit does sometimes remove a case or move them based on further investigation of location data. The chart below reflects updated totals for each municipality as reported by the health unit on June 23). 

Municipality Total cases** Recoveries Deaths In Hospital Last case reported Weekly incidence rate*** Cumulative incidence rate* % of pop. with one dose of vaccine
Barrie 4,087 3,800 118 3 June 22 14 2,664 61.5%
Bradford W-G 2,066 1,951 38 1 June 16   4,733 59.8%
New Tecumseth  1,485 1,413 18 2 June 19   3,507 59.3%
Innisfil 1,209 1,145 17 2 June 21 19 2,932 55.9%
Orillia 305 277 8 1 June 18   902 70.6%
Collingwood 239 224 3 1 June 18   969 73.7%
Wasaga Beach 259 239 5   June 22   1,093 69.1%
Clearview 133 123 5   June 16   885 58.4%
Springwater 280 269 2   June 18   1,306 68%
Midland 198 184 6   June 4   1,082 68.5%
Oro-Medonte 215 196 5   June 14   922 74.9%
Adj-Tosorontio 206 194 1 1 June 6   1,738 50.8%
Essa 461 440 4   June 2   1,912 62.2%
Ramara 105 97   1 June 22   1,004 55.7%
Tiny 130 121 2   May 26   976 62.5%
Tay 116 112 2   June 10   1,034 70.7%
Penetanguishene 196 161 8 1 June 22 114 2,034 72.1%
Severn 82 75 2 1 June 21   547 51.1%

*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 June 13. Where municipalities have had low or no weekly increase, no rate is included


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Erika Engel

About the Author: Erika Engel

Erika regularly covers all things news in Collingwood as a reporter and editor. She has 15 years of experience as a local journalist
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