March 22, 2021

MUSKOKA REPORTEDLY COVID-FREE PAST THREE DAYS AS VACCINES INCREASE

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — Sunny days and sunny ways led Muskoka to a weekend without COVID, as the past three days saw 138 corona cases — all in Simcoe — says the health unit.

The said today there were 40 regional cases; the province pegged it at 64.

One previous case in Bracebridge was removed, as it was either transferred to different health unit, did not meet case definition or was considered a duplicate. Another case was erroneously reported as positive due to a lab data error, bringing that testing mistake to 43 the past week.

Five cases yesterday were in Severn and two in Orillia.

This as vaccines continue to be distributed in Muskoka: Pfizer in Bracebridge and Huntsville; Moderna in Gravenhurst and Port Carling.

And the local health unit and province are now accepting bookings for those aged 75 and older.

Province-wide 1,699 cases were reported with 3 deaths — the fewest since late October.

However, the positivity rate is up to 5.6 per cent — its highest in two months.

To date Ontario has handed out 1.553 million vaccines.

Toronto was at 500 new cases, Peel 318 and York 155.

Sudbury saw 34, Thunder Bay 16 and North Bay-Parry Sound 2.

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

290 cases have been tested positive for the UK variant, 8 are linked to Brazil, 1 to South Africa.
And an additional 707 cases are awaiting second confirmation.
68,600 doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been administered.
This includes more than 17,280 individuals who have received both of the required doses of the vaccine.
In addition, over 3,000 (94%) long-term care residents and over 3,400 (95%) retirement home residents have received their first dose.
More than 2,775 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine have also been administered to adults 60-64 years by four Family Health Teams in Simcoe Muskoka.
There have been 40 new cases reported to the health unit for the current week, 264 last week and 299 the week before.
There were 182 new COVID-19 tests per 10,000 population in Simcoe County and 63 tests per 10,000 population in Muskoka District for the most recent week (Mar. 14th). In comparison the provincial testing rate was 222 tests per 10,000 population. NB: testing rates for the most recent week are incomplete and will change in future updates.
The percent positivity rate in Simcoe County is 3.1% and 1.0% in Muskoka District compared to the provincial percent positivity rate of 3.3%. The percent positivity for Simcoe County has increased for two consecutive weeks. The percent positivity in Muskoka was similar to the previous week. A low percent positivity rate indicates the outbreak is under control, given more testing is finding a smaller and smaller proportion of positives.

**A cumulative look at variants of concern today across Simcoe-Muskoka.**

**Where COVID positivity rates are mid-month for each age group.**

**This graph shows how COVID testing rates have increased over the past year.**

**Some late reported statistics from the health unit for Monday, March 22.**

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

Spring break in Miami goes wild as curfew and emergency powers enacted by city as thousands of students travelling to Florida ignore COVID gathering and distancing orders.
31 million Canadians over the age of 16 are eligible for the vaccine.
Ontario to provide $1.2 billion to public hospitals. With $696.6 million to “help cover historic working funds deficits for qualifying public hospitals, with a focus on small, medium as well as specialty and rehabilitation hospitals that carry a large fiscal strain due to their unique situations and historical funding challenges.”
Ontario’s seven-day average is 1,600 COVID cases; last week it was 1,355.