BARRIE, ONT. -- The number of COVID-19 variant cases across Simcoe Muskoka jumped to 128, as listed by the region's health unit Monday, plus 59 possible cases waiting for confirmation.
In addition, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) reports 110 new COVID-19 diagnoses over the weekend and two deaths.
There are 15 institutional outbreaks, including Georgian Traditions. The outbreak is in the Collingwood retirement home's Memory Living Unit.
Nearly all of the cases reported in Collingwood Monday are outbreak-related. It's not clear if they are linked to the outbreak at the retirement home.
The SMDHU's website logs outbreaks in two educational settings, including Bear Creek Secondary School, with three confirmed cases. The Barrie school outbreak was declared on Feb. 1, while Ontario's schools remained closed except to students with special needs and support staff.
Meanwhile, the Ontario government announced the stay-at-home order would be lifted for the region on Feb. 16.
Premier Doug Ford said the province would gradually move regions into a newly structured colour-coded framework.
While Ford said things are not back to normal as concerns over the COVID-19 variants continue, he said the move would allow more people to get back to work.
The region will shift into Ontario's tiered COVID-19 restriction framework following the end of the stay-at-home order.
It's unclear what zone Simcoe Muskoka will fall under when the order ends. Before the lockdown on Dec. 26, the region was in the red zone.
The government will also introduce an "emergency brake," allowing the province to immediately move a region into lockdown if cases spike.
The SMDHU's weekly count of local COVID-19 cases appears to be creeping into a downward trend since the spike from the Christmas holidays.
Nearly 22,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been given to health care workers and the community's most vulnerable. Most of the region's paramedics are still waiting for their vaccines.
