BARRIE, ONT. -- The province is expected to end the stay-at-home order on Tuesday across much of Ontario, including in Simcoe Muskoka, even as more cases of the COVID-19 variant are confirmed in the region.
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit confirms 133 total U.K. B.1.1.7 variant cases, plus 86 more possible cases awaiting confirmatory testing.
Simcoe Muskoka's top doctor raised his concerns about reopening the region, saying residents should continue to take a "stay at home approach" as the variant remains a concern.
Dr. Charles Gardner said the province was taking a risk and added that he would have preferred the stay-at-home order to be extended rather than lifted.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the health unit reported 24 new COVID-19 infections across Simcoe County and a single case in Muskoka.
The region has 744 active cases, including 32 hospitalizations, with four ICU patients.
No new deaths were reported in the last two days. There have been 169 COVID-19 deaths in Simcoe Muskoka, most reported amid the virus's second wave.
Ontario's daily infections have dropped since the province implemented the stay-at-home order. Once the order expires, regions will shift into a colour-coded pandemic restrictions system.
With files from The Canadian Press
