Simcoe Muskoka hospital officials sound alarm about rising COVID-19 levels
Hospital chiefs of staff in North Simcoe Muskoka wrote a joint letter warning about rising COVID-19 levels following the health unit voicing concerns on rapidly growing wastewater signs.
"The level of COVID-19 in the North Simcoe Muskoka region is on the rise," the letter issued Tuesday states.
The physicians point to an increase in the region's positivity rate and hospitalizations.
"Hospitalizations are experiencing record levels of staff and physician absence due to illness and exposure to COVID at home, in schools, and in the community," it reads.
"We are concerned about everyone and the impact on our ability to provide timely care."
Simcoe Muskoka's chief medical officer of health (MOH), Dr. Charles Gardner, held a COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday, urging residents to continue wearing masks, noting a jump in case counts since the province lifted mandates.
"We have seen elevated case counts," Dr. Gardner said. "The pandemic is not over, and we cannot let our guard down."
The province removed mask mandates in most indoor settings on March 21.
According to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU), the region saw a 79 per cent increase in case counts in the first week of April compared to the weeks before mandates were removed.
The SMDHU reports the region's sharp spike outpaced the province's incidence rate at that time.
"The number of cases, outbreaks and hospitalizations we are seeing in Simcoe Muskoka is very concerning," Dr. Gardner noted.
In the letter, the region's seven hospital chiefs of staff and the MOH "highly recommend" four ways to protect against COVID-19 and help slow the spread.
- Get vaccinated with all eligible doses;
- Limit close contacts;
- Wear a mask in indoor public spaces; and
- Stay home if sick and get tested with a rapid test at home or, if eligible, a PCR test.
Local health officials encourage limiting Easter weekend gatherings to household members or holding outdoor or virtual gatherings.
"Virtual gatherings or events are still the safest way to celebrate, and if you opt to host or attend a gathering or event, remember that outdoor gatherings are safer than those held indoors," the SMDHU stated.
On Thursday, Premier Doug Ford said he would extend the remaining mask mandates, which require masks in health-care settings, if Ontario's top doctor recommended.
Masking in retirement homes, long-term care homes, hospitals and public transit are set to expire on April 27.
Ontario's top doctor has yet to recommend extending that timeline, only saying he is considering it amid the sixth wave.
Meanwhile, the province's science advisory table's latest modelling points to COVID-19 transmission possibly having peaked, but the experts noted it's uncertain which way the trend will shift.
Ontario's expert group said the modelling suggests hospitalizations and ICU admissions would rise but wouldn't likely hit levels recorded during the previous wave.
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots,” has died. He was 87.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.