Summer spike in COVID-19 cases across Simcoe Muskoka
Summer festivals, events and travel plans are getting into full swing, and so is a new wave of COVID-19, with weekly cases increasing by 46 per cent across Simcoe Muskoka.
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) says the more transmissible Omicron BA.5 subvariant is driving the increase in infections, largely tracked by wastewater data.
Recent samples from Midland and Orillia reveal higher levels than in May and early June.
"We've been in this for two and a half years. Unfortunately, the pandemic is continuing. The good news is that we aren't starting from square one," noted SMDHU associate medical officer of health Dr. Colin Lee.
More than half the total population in Simcoe Muskoka have yet to receive a third dose of the vaccine, prompting doctors to urge residents to roll up their sleeves.
"It does give you an increased protection against being infected, and if you are unlucky enough to be infected, it significantly decreases your chance of being hospitalized," said Lee.
Experts warn the spike in cases could result in a jump in hospitalizations, which worries health officials already dealing with staffing shortages.
"We have a lot of mitigation strategies to move staff around to try to keep as well-staffed as we can. We have some areas that are particularly challenging: the emergency department is one particular area that is challenging to meet demand, but we are making sure to keep it safe," said Dr. Jeff Tyberg, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre's Chief of Staff.
To help ease the burden on hospitals and prepare for fall, doctors say 80 to 90 per cent of eligible residents need to get their third shot.
Meantime, experts recommend masking when in indoor public settings and staying home when sick.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Slovak defence minister says doctors are fighting for life of prime minister who was shot
The Slovak defence minister says doctors are fighting for the life of the country's prime minister, who was shot multiple times after a political event Wednesday afternoon.
Transport Canada's UFO 'lead' planned to meet with U.S. intel officials, called info requests a 'wild goose chase'
Canada's transportation department had a UFO 'lead' who tried to 'quell' media interest and planned to meet with U.S. intelligence officials.
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver handed a cell phone ticket for using points app in McDonald's drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
'The Fly' has become notorious in France after a brazen escape. What's his criminal history?
A prisoner nicknamed “The Fly” has become notorious in France overnight after a daring and bloody escape from a prison convoy in Normandy that left two guards dead.
BREAKING Ontario's 'crypto king' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed 'crypto king' from Whitby, Ont., has been arrested in Durham Region after allegedly running a Ponzi scheme worth more than $40 million.
BREAKING Barge hits a bridge in Texas, damaging the structure and causing an oil spill
A barge hit a bridge in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to a small island, officials said.
Person responsible for 1996 drugging of 'Titanic' crew likely not a local: Halifax police
Halifax Regional Police believe a non-resident could be responsible for the infamous drugging of numerous crew members of the 'Titanic' movie with a hallucinogenic in 1996.
Latest updates on the biggest wildfires burning in Canada
Thousands of people in Western Canada remain displaced from their homes as wildfires threaten their communities, triggering evacuation orders and alerts.
OPINION Your attention span is shrinking, studies say. Here's how to stay focused: Sandee LaMotte
Regaining your focus requires you to be mindful of how you are using technology -- a daunting task if you consider the average American spends at least 10 hours a day on screens.