The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit reported four deaths and five new hospitalizations related to COVID in the latest update published Feb. 10.
The deaths reported today include three men from Simcoe County, two were over 79 years old and one was between 45 and 64 years old. One of the men died on Feb. 3, one on Feb. 8, and one on Feb. 9.
A man over 79 years old from Muskoka died on Feb. 8. His case was outbreak-related.
The health unit has reported 71 COVID-19 deaths in January and 20 in February.
There are at least 36 people from the region hospitalized because of COVID-19.
While provincial testing guidelines prioritize testing for Indigenous people, hospitalized patients and people living and working in high-risk congregate care settings, the health unit is reporting 127 new cases.
Since the start of the pandemic, the local health unit has confirmed 33,240 cases of COVID-19 with 31,073 of those cases recovered and 382 cases ending in death.
The health unit reported increased occupancy at the region's hospital with about 86 per cent of ICU beds, 90 per cent of acute care beds, and 68 per cent of ventilator beds now full. Capacity rates include all beds at hospitals in Simcoe County and Muskoka District and all patients, including those who are hospitalized for a reason other than COVID-19.
Since July 18, 2021, hospitalizations of Simcoe-Muskoka residents over 11 years old have included 186 fully vaccinated people, 19 partially vaccinated, and 193 unvaccinated people. Of those, 54 unvaccinated, fewer than five partially vaccinated, and 27 fully vaccinated people have been admitted to intensive care units.
In the last six months, 74 fully vaccinated people (at least two doses) and fewer than five partially vaccinated have died after contracting COVID. Over the same time period, 49 unvaccinated people have died after contracting COVID-19. All of the deaths have been people over 11 years old.
About 87 per cent of the over-11-year-old population has been fully vaccinated with two or more doses and 11 per cent of the same population group is unvaccinated.
There are 40 active outbreaks in Simcoe-Muskoka, down from 54 on Feb. 1, including 21 in institutional settings (hospitals, long-term care, retirement homes), seven in congregate settings (group homes, shelters), and 12 at child-care centres.
