BARRIE, ONT. -- The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) reported 44 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, and one new virus-related death, bringing the region's death toll to 56.

Dr. Charles Gardner, SMDHU medical officer of health, said the latest victim is a man between 35 and 44 who died at the Muskoka Algonquin Health Centre.

His death marks the third virus-related passing in the region in the last week. On Monday, a man in his 80s died at Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston and on Thursday, a woman, 65 to 79, died at Georgian Bay General Hospital in Midland.

According to Gardner, 13 people are in the hospital with the virus, all in Simcoe County, five of whom are in the intensive care unit.

Simcoe County and Muskoka

Of the 44 new cases posted, 39 are in Simcoe County, two in Muskoka, and three locations are pending.

"The majority of outbreaks and cases are in southern Simcoe and Barrie," Gardner said.

The District of Muskoka recently requested separation from the health unit's geographical border with the surge in Simcoe County cases.

Gardner said if the province allowed that divide, Muskoka would likely not be in the red zone.

"Muskoka's coloured designation would either be green or yellow," Gardner said. "At this point in time, they have no outbreaks in Muskoka, so that would put in in the green category," he added.

Institutional Outbreaks

The region currently has 24 active outbreaks in long-term care homes, schools, workplaces and institutional facilities.

The health unit lists eight outbreaks at seniors' homes across Simcoe County.

A staff member who tested positive at Trillium Manor in Orillia prompted the health unit to declare an outbreak on Monday.

Six other seniors' homes have active outbreaks:

  • Waterford Retirement Community in Barrie
  • Mill Creek Care Centre in Barrie
  • Coleman Care Centre in Barrie
  • Kingsmere Retirement Living in Alliston
  • Bradford Valley Care Community in Bradford West Gwillimbury
  • Raglan Village in Collingwood

The health unit declared an outbreak at the North Central Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene after one staff member and two inmates in the same unit tested positive for the virus.

Four group homes and one Simcoe County hospice also have active outbreaks.

School Outbreaks

To date, there have been 153 COVID-19 cases reported in schools across Simcoe Muskoka. Of those, Gardner said 16 resulted in the health unit declaring an outbreak. "Most of the cases have not resulted in outbreaks," Gardner said.

Tracking COVID-19 cases in local schools

On Tuesday, the health unit listed seven Simcoe County schools with active outbreaks.

"We continue to see clusters happening in households," the region's top doc said of transmission within the school environment.

The active outbreaks are at Barrie North Collegiate Institute, Our Lady of Grace Catholic School in Angus, St. Joseph's Catholic High School in Barrie, Bear Creek Secondary School in Barrie, Portage View Public School in Barrie, Nantyr Shores Secondary School in Innisfil and Bradford District High School.

COVID-19 Vaccine

The region shifted to the red stage of the province's tiered, colour-coded pandemic response plan on Monday.

Gardner said if the infection rate continues, Simcoe Muskoka would see roughly 60 cases per day by the first week of January.

Given that the region is in the red category, Gardner said he has "reason to believe" Simcoe Muskoka could receive the COVID-19 vaccine soon.

"We don't know for sure exactly when we will start getting the vaccine. It's possible that it could be as early as next week. We shall see." the medical officer of health said.

"When it first comes in, it's going to be in limited quantities," Gardner said the vaccine would be distributed to health care workers and the region's most vulnerable community.

"We would be very much focusing at the very beginning on health care workers, particularly those that provide care to individuals in long-term care facilities, and retirement homes and other congregate settings for senior citizens given that that's a population that has by far the greatest mortality in serious complications from COVID-19," Gardner said.