4 MUSKOKA CASES AMONG 78 TODAY AS COVID GETS WORSE

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — Four new cases in Muskoka are among a stunning record 4,249 cases province-wide today, which are in part thanks to some 450 added in a Toronto backlog this week.

Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit had 78 — 11 of them with pending OHIP address.

That leaves Simcoe with 67 cases.

The four Muskoka cases include are:

  • 18-34 female from Huntsville who is under investigation
  • 45-64 male from Huntsville in a congregate setting
  • 18-34 female from Muskoka Lakes under investigation
  • 65-79 female from Muskoka Lakes under investigation

As of today, there have been 5,442 doses of the Pfizer vaccine administered in Simcoe Muskoka (not including South Simcoe), mainly to health care workers in local hospitals, long-term care and retirement homes.

Yesterday 1,126 doses were given out.

As the week ends, the health unit says there have been 516 new COVID cases up to Thursday Jan. 7 at midnight.

That’s an average of 73.71 over the past seven days Jan. 1-7.

Last week there were 376 new cases reported over five days starting Dec. 27 or 75.2.

Health stats show about half of all December infections with a known cause were acquired from close contact with a confirmed positive case.

And about 20 per cent were acquired in the community with no known source of infection.

Nearly a third of all active cases are among young adults 18-34 years.

This age group that has had the highest rate of infections since June and their rate in December was 74 per cent higher in December compared with November.

Elsewhere in Ontario, Toronto reported 1,382 cases with the extra dump of 450.

There were also 26 deaths in Ontario reported today.

York Region had another high day with 427, Niagara saw 213 cases, Windsor-Essex 184, Durham 170 and Halton 134 where the police chief got approval from the mayor and his police board to go to Florida over the holidays to handle a personal property matter.

Ottawa reports 210 cases today.

In Quebec, 2,588 cases were reported with 45 deaths.

Manitoba’s case count was at 222 with 9 deaths.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS:

  • NHL gets final approval from Winnipeg for all-Canadian hockey division.
  • Ontario set to extend restrictions further as new modelling numbers will be worse says Premier Doug Ford.
  • With 18 new cases day, New Brunswick’s premier says don’t come and go unless it’s essential. He ordered a 14-day quarantine for anyone coming into province.
  • B.C. extends its social gathering restrictions to Feb. 5 after 761 cases Thursday.
  • Trudeau and Biden promise more COVID vaccines.
A cold, sunny day didn’t mask rising COVID numbers this week in Simcoe and Muskoka which saw 516 cases the first seven days of 2021.

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