21 COVID CASES IN SIMCOE FRIDAY AMONG 650 ACROSS ONTARIO

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — An overnight death in Simcoe today comes as the county sees 21 new COVID cases.

The man, aged 45-64, was 1 of 2 people in the province reported to have died, as Ontario reported a surging 650 COVID cases.

Public Health Ontario only counted 15 people with the virus this morning regionally.

But total Delta variants rose again by 9 to 333 from 324.

However, active VOCs dropped to 75 from 79 since Thursday.

And hospitalizations remained at 2.

As vaccinations are set to be the working place norm in most public and many private sectors, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) reports 70.7 per cent of residents have been vaccinated once and only 63.1 per cent twice.

A new Leger poll shows most Canadians would welcome some kind of vaccination proof to access certain non-essential services like public sports and entertainment gatherings.

Quebec, meanwhile, had its highest case count in nearly three months, with 527 and also 2 deaths. That’s the most since May 21.

It’s a similar story across the country as health care tops political debates, including Conservatives who won’t make it mandatory for its candidates to be vaccinated.

But the Liberals aren’t saying anything about Elections Canada doing the same with unvaccinated poll clerks who can hide behind masks while handing out ballots.

This as the U.S. keeps its land and ferry border points closed until the day after the federal election here.

FRIDAY: COVID BY THE NUMBERS … 15 CASES IN SIMCOE-MUSKOKA  (25 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 650 AND 2 DEATHS (116-17) … TORONTO 136 (116), YORK 63 (62), PEEL 113 (63) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 0 (0) …  PORCUPINE 0 (2) …

The heat driving more people out of doors for leisure and recreation is being tempered by health advisories calling for young adults and teens to get vaccinated as cases climb.

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

  • 12,603 cases to date
  • 85 cases this week, 99 last week, 37 first week of August
  • 0 deaths in August, 4 in July, 6 in June
  • 4,004 Alpha variants, 167 Gamma, 34 Beta, 333
  • 678 cases await confirmation of VOC
  • 818,181 vaccines have been administered
  • 427,355 residents have had one vaccine, which represents 71% of the population
  • 80% of the population 12 years and older have had one vaccine
  • 73% of youth 12 to 17 have also had one vaccine
An overnight death today brings to 256 the number of deceased in Simcoe-Muskoka.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

  • Mexico is nearing 250,000 deaths.
  • Moderna is starting human trials of an HIV vaccine.
  • Jessica Dale-Walker probably had about as much chance of upsetting Tory MP Michelle Rempel Garner as she would staying on a bull at the Calgary Stampede. But the Liberal candidate for Calgary Nose Hill bucked herself with social media comments about early vaccine takers being “guinea pigs.” She has since apologized. But good luck to her Sept. 20.

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