SIX NEW COVID-19 CASES IN MUSKOKA THIS PAST WEEK
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
MUSKOKA — Muskoka has had six new COVID-19 cases the past week, as signs of a second wave of the pandemic emerge on the eve of a return to school.
This as Ontario added 169 cases yesterday, Saturday — the most in one day since July 24 — and makes it 10 straight days the count has been 100 or more.
In Bracebridge, the health unit says there have been more cases reported in September than in all previous months combined.
Meanwhile, it says reported cases continue to decline in most other municipalities.
Muskoka’s six cases came on three days: with three Aug. 31, two Sept. 3 and one Sept. 4.
Friday, Sept. 4, the local health unit added another younger male — aged 18-34 — to the list of people diagnosed in Bracebridge.
They said in an addendum to the daily count (“change log”) that one case previously reported as Ramara was re-assigned to Bracebridge upon closer examination of the case address data.
That follows a report Thursday, Sept. 3, that a female — 18-34 — from Bracebridge positively has the coronavirus.
In those last two cases Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) says they are under investigation as to how they may have acquired the virus.
Also Sept. 3 an 80+ male resident at The Pines in Bracebridge tested positive in an institutional outbreak.
Four days before, two more Muskokans tested positive.
A Pines worker, aged 45-64, and resident of Bracebridge tested positive Aug. 31 in the same institutional outbreak and his case may be related to the LTC home resident.
And a Huntsville female, aged 18-34, also tested positive that same Tuesday. Her case was reported as community acquired.
Also Aug. 31, a Georgian Bay male, 18-34, was reported positive in a community acquired test.
Muskoka’s COVID count is now at 38, with 33 recovered, one deceased and four others listed under other.
A summary note on the SMDHU website states: The rate of new COVID-19 cases in Ontario is significantly higher than the Simcoe County rate. The rate in Muskoka is about half the Simcoe County rate and one-fifth of the Ontario rate.
There have been 37 deaths in Simcoe-Muskoka.
The health unit says it won’t be posting updated counts on Labour Day.
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