Health unit confirms 269 COVID cases since Dec. 24, including 76 in Barrie

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported 269 new cases of COVID-19 in the region since its last update on Dec. 24. 

The health unit has also reported three deaths in today's update, including a Bradford West Gwillimbury resident, a Penetanguishene resident, and a Muskoka District resident. No details have yet been released about the individuals who died.

Included on the Dec. 29 list of new COVID-19 cases are 76 Barrie residents, 26 Bradford West Gwillimbury residents, 23 Innisfil residents, 12 Midland residents, 11 Collingwood resident, 11 Wasaga Beach resident, and 10 Orillia residents.

There is a lag in the data presented in the daily updates because of an increase in cases. 

The health unit has also declared COVID outbreaks (all of which are still ongoing) at the following facilities: 

• Georgian Bay General Hospital in Midland, outbreak declared Dec. 4
• Central North Correctional Centre (unit six), Penetanguishene, declared Dec. 14 
• Kingsmere Retirement Living, Alliston, Dec. 11
• Trillium Manor, Orillia, Dec. 14
• Revera Sara Vista, Elmvale, Dec. 25
• Lakeside Retirement, Innisfil, Dec. 26
• Good Samaritan Retirement Lodge, Alliston, Dec. 26 
• Unnamed child care centre, Wasaga Beach, Dec. 27 
• Georgian Manor, Penetanguishene, Dec. 27
• Tiffin Retirement Residence (first floor), Midland, Dec. 27

The provincial government requires an outbreak be declared at a retirement or long-term care home where one staff or resident tests positive. There does not have to be evidence of spread within the home for an outbreak to be declared. In most other cases, the health unit does not declare an outbreak unless there is evidence of transmission at the facility. 

The breakdown of cases provided by the health unit is as follows. All case transmissions are under investigation unless otherwise indicated: 

• Collingwood (11): A boy and girl under 18, a man and woman between 18 and 34 years old, a woman between 45 and 64 years old, three women and two men between 65 and 79 years old, and a woman over 80 years old. Four cases are linked to close contact and one is listed as community-acquired (no identifiable source). 
• Wasaga Beach (11): Two women between 35 and 44 years old, a man between 45 and 64 years old, four women and two men between 65 and 79 years old, and a man and a woman over 80 years old. Three cases are linked to close contact, three are community-acquired, and one is linked to an educational setting outbreak. 
• Barrie (76): Eight youth under 18, 29 people between 18 and 34 years old, 10 people between 35 and 44 years old, 24 people between 45 and 64 years old, one person between 65 and 79 years old, and three people over the age of 80. Seven case transmissions are linked to close contact, one to an institutional outbreak out of the region, three to a congregate setting outbreak, three are community-acquired, one is linked to a workplace outbreak, and one is linked to an institutional outbreak within the region.
• Springwater (9): Three people between 18 and 34 years old, three between 35 and 44, and three between 45 and 64. Three cases are linked to outbreaks at a congregate setting, an educational setting and an institution.
• Innisfil (23): One girl under 17, seven people between 18 and 34 years old, 11 people between 35 and 44 years old, three people between 45 and 64 years old, and one man between 65 and 79 years old. Five case are linked to close contact, one to a congregate setting outbreak, and one is community-acquired.
• Bradford West Gwillimbury (26): Four youth under 18, four people between 18 and 34 years old, nine people between 35 and 44 years old, six people between 45 and 64 years old, and one woman over 80 years old. Seven cases are linked to close contact, four are community-acquired, and one is linked to an institutional outbreak out of the region. 
• Orillia (10): Six people between 18 and 34 years old, one person between 35 and 44 years old, two people between 65 and 79 years old, and one person over 80. One case is linked to close contact and one is connected to an institutional outbreak. 
• Ramara (4): Two women between 18 and 34 years old, one woman between 35 and 44 years old, and a man between 45 and 64 years old. Three cases are linked to close contact. 
• Oro-Medonte (5): Four people between 45 and 64 years old and one person between 65 and 79 years old. One case is community-acquired. 
• Midland (12): One girl under 18, two women between 18 and 34 years old, one woman between 35 and 44 years old, three people between 45 and 64 years old, one woman between 65 and 79 years old, and four people over the age of 80. Three cases are linked to institutional outbreaks, three are close contact, and one is community-acquired.
• Penetanguishene (4): Two men between 45 and 64 years old, and two people over 80 years old. Three cases are linked to institutional outbreaks.
• Tiny (3): A man between 45 and 64 years old and two women between 65 and 79 years old whose cases are linked to close contact. 
• Tay (5): Two people between 45 and 64 years old, two people between 65 and 79 years old and one woman over 80. One case is linked to an institutional outbreak and three are linked to close contact.
• Severn (3): All three cases are individuals between 45 and 64 years old.
• Essa (17): Three youth under 17, eight people between 18 and 34 years old, one person between 35 and 44 years old, four people between 45 and 64 years old, and one person between 65 and 79 years old. Seven cases are linked to close contact, one is community-acquired, and one is related to an institutional outbreak out of the region. 
• Adjala-Tosorontio (8): Three youth under 18, two people between 18 and 34, and three people between 45 and 64 years old. Three cases are linked to close contact and one is community-acquired. 
• New Tecumseth (36): Five youth under 18, 15 people between 18 and 34, six people between 35 and 44, four people between 45 and 64 years old, and six people between 65 and 79 years old. Ten cases are linked to close contact, three are community acquired, and two are related to workplace outbreaks out of the region.
• In Muskoka District there is a new case in Bracebridge, and one in Hunstville. 
• There are four cases with location information and transmission source pending. They include one person between 35 and 44, one between 45 and 64 and two between 65 and 79 years old. 

The local health unit has now confirmed 3,466 cases of COVID-19 with 2,491 of those cases recovered and 63 cases ending in death. There are more than 875 active, lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region, with the majority of those in Simcoe County.

There are at least 27 people from Simcoe County hospitalized. 

There have been 3,326 cases confirmed in just Simcoe County, with 2,384 of those now recovered and 59 deaths. 

Approximately half of all new infections reported by the health unit in December were linked to close contact with another case. About 20 per cent were reported as community-acquired, which means there is no known source of infection.

*Incidence rate is number of cases per 100,000 people in the local population.

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