COVID CASES IN BRACEBRIDGE, HUNTSVILLE, MUSKOKA LAKES FRIDAY

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — Local cases may be down more than 100 this week, but it’s too early to let down your guard with two men and a woman in Muskoka reported with COVID today.

And three more variant finds in the North Bay Parry Sound, Sudbury and Porcupine health units.

The trio were among 44 cases reported Friday Feb. 5 by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.

Along with 3 more deaths in Simcoe.

A man in Bracebridge, aged 18-34, whose infection was community acquired, had a first episode Feb. 3 and it was reported for Feb. 4.

A woman in Huntsville, aged 80+, is under investigation also after being reported yesterday with a first episode the day before yesterday.

A Muskoka Lakes man, 65-79, is also under investigation following a first episode Monday and reported yesterday.

They are among 196 cases this week — down from 301 last week and 444 the week before.

And they bring to 5,692 the total number of regional cases.

The new variant cases in Northern Ontario involve international travellers in the North Bay Parry Sound and Sudbury regions. And one in Cochrane District is linked to a deadly outbreak that has killed 11 people at a Kapuskasing Extendicare LTC.

They are all part among 1,670 cases Ontario is reporting along with 45 more deaths.

The province is expected to announce a new economic plan next week after Canada posted 213,000 jobs lost today mostly due to COVID.

Quebec posted 1,101 cases and 33 deaths. Manitoba reports 110 cases and 1 death. Saskatchewan says it has 269 cases and 3 deaths today. Newfoundland and Labrador have just 1 case today.

NOTES:

  • As provinces clamour for vaccines, to date 92 local cases have been tested positive for the COVID-19 variant of concern UK B.1.1.7 and an additional 77 cases have screened positive and are awaiting confirmation.
  • Meanwhile, 19,306 doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been distributed (504 yesterday). That includes more than 3,300 people who have received both required doses of the vaccine. In addition, 2,851 (89 per cent) long-term care residents and 2,375 (65 per cent) retirement home residents have received their first dose.
  • There have been 196 new cases reported to the health unit for the current week. There were 301 new cases reported to the health unit last week (week of January 24th), more than 30% lower than the 444 cases reported for the week of January 17th.
  • About half of all new infections in January 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.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

  • B.C. keeping restrictions in place for foreseeable future, as province records 465 cases today and 6 deaths. They also report 10 variant cases this week.
  • Youngest kids in WaleS won’t be going back to school till Feb. 22.
  • Canadian Forces troops will fly in to help a northern Manitoba First Nation deal with the pandemic.
  • And U.S. soldiers will help distribute vaccines in some states.
As Ontario is expected to announce new economic measures next week, auto service attendant Lisa Strothers says business is steady at Greavette’s in Bracebridge.

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