BARRIE -- Friday morning, Ontario health officials are reporting 50 new confirmed COVID-19 infections.
The number of confirmed cases in Ontario is now 308, including deaths and recoveries.
Officials are still compiling the locations of all 50-cases, as 25 do not have data at this time. Most of the cases where data is available are located throughout Southern Ontario.
There is one confirmed case from York Region. A man in his 30's is self-isolating after returning from the Caribbean.
The Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit has not updated their numbers at this time. We will be speaking with the Medical Officer of Health, Charles Gardner and provide the latest information once it becomes available.
*****Thursday, March 20th*****
The Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) has confirmed that the 77-year-old Barrie man, who had preexisting medical conditions and came into contact with another man in his 70s died as result of COVID-19.
The Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario confirmed the information to the health unit late this afternoon.
Earlier this week, Dr. Charles Gardner, SMDHU's Medical Officer of Health confirmed the man, who tested positive for COVID-19, died at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre.
Officials said it wasn't discovered until after his death on March 11 that he had the virus.
Experts said the man had a pre-existing medical condition that may have put him at higher risk.
Dr. Gardner said the man was in close contact with another gentleman visiting from Alberta, who also tested positive for COVID-19. That man is currently in the hospital in Barrie in serious condition.
As of Thursday, the SMDHU is reporting 17 presumptive COVID-19 cases, as Ontario's total number of confirmed cases rises to 257.
The latest numbers indicate a man in his 70s from the Haliburton-Kawartha area contracted the virus while on a recent trip to Europe.
On Wednesday, three new cases were confirmed in the region.
SMDHU officials said a man in his 60s who recently travelled to Austria was diagnosed at Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital and is now at home in self-isolation.
"The health unit is following up with the contacts of this new case to determine who should self-isolate," said Dr. Gardner.
The Grey Bruce Health Unit confirmed a case of COVID-19 in a 61-year-old Grey Bruce man who recently travelled to India. Officials said he was tested at a local hospital and sent home to self-isolate. The health unit is investigating any potential contacts the man may have had.
And a woman in her 20s from York Region also tested positive. She is said to have had close contact with a confirmed case.
All the other provincial cases identified yesterday are currently in self-isolation.
To date, Simcoe County has five confirmed cases, including the man who died, and 13 presumptive cases currently being investigated. The District of Muskoka now has four presumptive cases. The health unit says all of the cases involve travel or close contact of a confirmed case.
The provincial total includes the Barrie man who died and five people who have completely recovered and been cleared of the virus.
