BARRIE, ONT. -- The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit logged 82 COVID-19 infections on Thursday, for a total of 263 new cases this week.

Most of the positive tests were in Barrie at 20, while Bradford followed with 18 and New Tecumseth had 15.

Innisfil and Ramara each logged six cases, Orillia four, Essa three and two cases were reported in both Adjala-Tosorontio and Collingwood. There were single cases in Gravenhurst, Huntsville, Oro-Medonte, Severn, Tiny and Wasaga Beach.

To date, public health has confirmed 10,851 infections, of those, 9,007 have resolved. There are currently 1,108 active cases across the region.

Over 630 cases screened positive for a variant of concern and will undergo further testing to confirm and identify the COVID-19 strain.

The UK variant, B.1.1.7, is the most common in Simcoe Muskoka, with nearly 3,000 confirmed cases to date. Two other variants, the P.1, originally from Brazil, and the B.1.351, originally from South Africa, have also been identified in local cases.

The province opened appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine to more residents, including anyone 50+ and individuals with specific jobs who have no choice but to go into the workplace. In addition, those with high-risk health conditions are now eligible to get the shot.

Extensive information on the Simcoe Muskoka vaccine program is available here, including who qualifies, where clinics are located and how to book an appointment..

The health unit reports nearly 34 per cent of eligible residents have been immunized with their first shot.

Meanwhile, Ontario reported 3,424 new COVID-19 cases Thursday and 26 virus-related deaths.

Toronto, Peel and York Region remain the province's hot spots with the highest case counts of any region.

The province recorded 141,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have gone into the arms of eligible adults in the past 24 hours.