Simcoe Muskoka sees 'surge' in COVID-19 cases, with cottage country leading the way
The health unit reports a "surge in cases," with 60 new COVID-19 infections in Simcoe Muskoka on Wednesday, plus one virus-related death.
The health unit said a Simcoe County woman, 45 to 64 died on Tuesday, becoming the region's 278th COVID-19 death.
In the first 24 days of November, 12 people living in Simcoe Muskoka have died after contracting the virus.
LOCAL CASE COUNTS SURGE IN NOVEMBER
Case counts have spiked over recent weeks, something of concern for the region's medical officer of health.
"We are definitely experiencing a substantial rise in our cases," Dr. Charles Gardner noted on Wednesday.
"We've had nearly as many cases occur in November as occurred in total in September and October," he added.
According to Dr. Gardner, November marks the first time in the pandemic that Simcoe Muskoka has surpassed the province's transmission rate.
"We are more than double the provincial rate," he said. "We're going up at a higher rate than the province."
The new cases listed on Wednesday are in Barrie (18), Huntsville (7), New Tecumseth (7), Midland (4), Adjala-Tosorontio (4), Springwater (3), Bradford (2), Orillia (3), Wasaga Beach (2), Ramara (2), Essa (3), Oro-Medonte, Severn and Penetanguishene.
MUSKOKA EXPERIENCES SPIKE IN CASES
While most cases have consistently been reported in Barrie and south Simcoe throughout the pandemic, the health unit said Muskoka is experiencing a surge with outbreaks in schools or other settings with children.
"This is something new and important for people in Muskoka to be aware of." Dr. Gardner said Muskoka's transmission rates had trailed well behind Simcoe County, but stated, "That is not the case right now."
Bracebridge now has the highest incidence rate per 100,000 population, with Barrie second.
VACCINATION IN SIMCOE MUSKOKA
"Immunization is the single most important thing you can do to protect yourself," the top doctor mentioned.
On Wednesday, the health unit reported over 6,700 appointments were booked for children aged five to 11 for their first COVID-19 vaccine shot.
There are currently 20 active school outbreaks, prompting Dr. Gardner to remind parents to screen their children for symptoms each morning.
Children under 12 make up just over 25 per cent of new cases.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.