144 COVID CASES PAST 4 DAYS IN RED SIMCOE-MUSKOKA

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOA — Red is the new local reality today as Ontario lifts stay-at-home orders for 27 regions outside the GTA and North Bay Parry Sound.

Including Simcoe-Muskoka, which is doing it against the advice of its chief medical officer of health Dr. Charles Gardner.

Students are also back in school today here — and in the GTA where doctors have their doubts about their return. However, a snowstorm saw many school boards cancel buses on opening day.

The province reported 904 cases Tuesday — among them 24 in Simcoe-Muskoka.

New numbers this afternoon from the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit will show long weekend totals.

Public Health Ontario reported 120 cases for those past three: 24 Friday, 31 Saturday, 31 Sunday and 34 Monday. The region’s total is 6,043 cases.

And there are now 173 deaths in the region, shows the health unit.

  • Ontario itself reports 904 cases and 13 deaths today and 964 cases and 13 deaths yesterday — for a total of 287,736.
  • The province didn’t report numbers Family Day.
  • But it says Toronto had 320 cases today (251 yesterday), Peel 154 (93) and York 118 (66).
  • The province says 480,377 people have received at least one vaccine shot so far, with 186,934 fully vaccinated.
  • In Quebec 669 cases were reported today with 20 deaths.
  • Newfoundland, which postponed its provincial election Saturday, had 7 new cases.
  • Worldwide, 109 million have tested positive, 61.4 million are recovered and 2.4 million have died.

This as Simcoe-Muskoka emerges from the emergency orders back in to the red zone it was in before province-wide orders issued around the new year.

Basically, as of today locally, it limits gatherings to 5 people indoors and 25 people outside.

Restaurants can have 10 patrons seated indoors with a limit of 4 people seated together and face coverings are required except when eating or drinking only.

Gyms and rec facilities can have 10 people in indoor areas with weights and exercise machines, while team sports must not be practised or played except for training

As for personal care services, anything requiring the removal of face coverings is prohibited, but for entertainment… drive-in performances are permitted and the ski hills are open.

Click here for full details http://ow.ly/2Mgr50Dz8TM.

Lois Cooper did a Valentine’s Day door drop of homemade cupcakes and chocolates to a few single shut-in friends Sunday, while keeping her distance at the door with the aid of her handy-dandy grip-and-grab tongs.

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