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

'No one else has done this on the planet': Guilbeault insists emissions cap delay is due to novelty
Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault says the delay in announcing details of his government’s proposed oil and gas sector emissions cap is due to its uniqueness and to wanting to get it right.
Buckingham Palace releases this year’s Christmas card
Buckingham Palace released an image of the Christmas card that King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be sending out this year.
Canada has a secretive history of adoption, and some want it brought to light
In a theatre in St. John's, N.L., a murmur spreads through the audience as people timidly raise their hands. They have been asked if they saw their own stories reflected in the film they just watched -- 'A Quiet Girl.'
'People are confused': Survey suggests Canadians need education on Charter rights
While one-third of Canadians say they have read the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, many fail to distinguish between its text and that of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, a new survey suggests.
A gigantic new ICBM will take U.S. nuclear missiles out of the Cold War-era but add 21st-century risks
The $96 billion Sentinel overhaul involves 450 silos across five states, their control centres, three nuclear missile bases and several other testing facilities. The project is so ambitious it has raised questions as to whether the Air Force can get it all done at once.
Marathon Conservative carbon tax filibuster ends after nearly 30 consecutive hours of House votes
The Conservative-prompted filibuster in the House of Commons ended Friday night, after MPs spent nearly 30 hours voting non-stop on the government's spending plans.
Tennessee residents clean up after severe weekend storms killed 6 people and damaged neighbourhoods
Central Tennessee residents and emergency workers cleaned up Sunday from severe weekend storms and tornadoes that killed six people and sent more to the hospital while damaging buildings, turning over vehicles and knocking out power to tens of thousands.
Elon Musk restores X account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones
Elon Musk has restored the X account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, pointing to a poll on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter that came out in favour of the Infowars host who repeatedly called the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting a hoax.
Woman charged with manslaughter after 2 sets of young twins killed in 2021 U.K. fire
A woman has been charged with four counts of manslaughter after two sets of young twins were killed in a fire that ripped through a London home in 2021.