Ford says Ontario will 'revisit' possibility of separating Simcoe Muskoka's health unit borders
During a visit to Muskoka on Monday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the province would "revisit" the Simcoe Muskoka health unit's geographical borders following ongoing conversations about possibly separating cottage country and Simcoe County.
Ford said it "wasn't fair" to lump in Muskoka with places like Barrie, where most COVID-19 cases have been concentrated throughout the pandemic.
"It's unfair to other parts of this region," he said. "It's not fair. Do you know how many times I get a call from the mayor of Huntsville, Bracebridge, Parry Sound..." Ford said. "We're going to get through this pandemic, and we're going to have a good chat, may have to redraw the boundaries."
Ford said a review regarding dividing the health unit's borders would happen with the new provincial medical officer of health.
COVID-19 CASES ACROSS SIMCOE MUSKOKA
The Simcoe Muskoka health unit logged 16 new COVID-19 cases since Friday and no new deaths.
The cases listed Monday are in Huntsville (5), Barrie (2), Ramara (2), Penetanguishene (2), Bradford West Gwillimbury (2), Adjala-Tosorontio (1), Innisfil (1), and New Tecumseth (1).
Public health reports a 39 per cent decline in weekly case counts. Last week the region had a total of 39 infections, the lowest weekly count since Sept. 2020.
There are currently 97 active cases across the region, including 12 hospitalizations.
COVID-19 TRENDS
The positivity rate in Simcoe County is nearly at par with Muskoka at 0.9 per cent compared to 1.0 per cent.
The daily moving average is below 10 cases, a far cry from the daily average of 100 cases per day in April during the peak of the third wave.
VARIANTS OF CONCERNS
There have been 4,901 variant cases confirmed across the region to date.
The UK B.1.1.7. variant remains the dominant strain in Simcoe Muskoka, with 3,985 infections identified. However, health officials warn the Delta B.1.617.2 variant, which is more contagious, could become the more aggressive strain.
To date, public health has confirmed 51 cases as the Delta variant, a significant jump from numbers released last week where Delta-identified cases were in the 30s.
VACCINATIONS IN SIMCOE MUSKOKA
Nearly 65 per cent of residents have received at least their first COVID-19 vaccination shot, with 25 per cent having had both.
Health officials report two shots of a vaccine will provide 80 per cent effectiveness in fighting the virus.
On Monday, all adults 18 and older can book their second shot, and to help that happen, immunization clinics across the region opened more appointments throughout July.
Complete information on booking an appointment is available here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.
Douglas DC-4 plane with 2 people on board crashes into river outside Fairbanks, Alaska
A Douglas C-54 Skymaster airplane crashed into the Tanana River near Fairbanks on Tuesday, Alaska State Troopers said.
BREAKING Mounties will not be charged in shooting death of B.C. Indigenous man
Three Mounties in British Columbia will not face charges in the killing of a 38-year-old Indigenous man on Vancouver Island in 2021.