YOUNG GRAVENHURT MAN IS AMONG 61 WEEKEND COVID CASES

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — A young Gravenhurst man, 18-35, is under investigation after testing positive for COVID-19 Friday.

He is one of 61 cases reported since then by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU).

He was reported Aug. 21 the same day as was his first episode.

His is one of 183 active virus cases in the region.

And the 499th case in Muskoka since the pandemic began (12,162 in Simcoe).

Eighteen of them were reported Sunday.

He is also among 28 new cases Monday with variants — all believed to be Delta.

So far Simcoe-Muskoka has seen 5,237 variants among the 12,664 total COVID cases.

As of today 85 of the cases are active variants

What’s driving those numbers?

Almost entirely it’s low vaccinations.

Latest numbers show overall just 71 per cent of eligible 12+ age regional residents with one vaccine and a dismal 63.8 per cent twice immunized.

Provincially yesterday 6,937 people got their first vaccine and 15,652 their second.

That brings to 20,489,564 Ontarians vaccinated: 82.2 per cent (10,715,841) once and 74.9 per cent (9,767,764) fully vaccinated.

Notably Sunday 19,866 people sought testing that resulted in a 2.8 per cent positivity rate. (All figures from the Ministry of Health.)

Among them 515 had had only one vaccine and 124 were fully vaccinated.

This as Ontario reported 639 cases to start the week — and no deaths.

Quebec, meanwhile, posted a comparatively optimistic 376 cases and 1 death.

WHERE ARE THE LOCAL CASES?

Here’s breakdown of the most recent COVID cases in Simcoe-Muskoka according to SMDHU.

In Muskoka: Huntsville 135, Muskoka Lakes 109, Bracebridge 98, Gravenhurst 93, Georgian Bay 33, Lake of Bays 31.

In Simcoe: Barrie 4,225, Innisfil 1,244, Bradford-West Gwillimbury 2,121, New Tecumseh 1,514, Essa 491, Oro-Medonte 424, Ramara 112, Severn 88, Clearview 139, Adjala-Tosorontio 211, Tay 117, Tiny 134, Springwater 293 and Orillia 301 (not including the weekend).

MONDAY: COVID BY THE NUMBERS … 19 CASES IN SIMCOE-MUSKOKA  (25 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 639 AND 0 DEATHS (722-2) … TORONTO 124 (170), YORK 91 (63), PEEL 91 (70) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 1 (2) …  PORCUPINE 1 (2) …

Life’s a beach – when the latest swim advisory is lifted as it was this weekend at Gull Lake Rotary Park in Gravenhurst just in time for the most recent heat wave hitting Muskoka.

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

  • 12,664 cases to date
  • 18 new cases starting yesterday (Aug. 22) this week; 128 last week, which was 29% higher than the 99 cases the week before starting Aug. 8.
  • 0 deaths in August, 4 in July, 6 in June
  • 4,007 Alpha variants, 167 Gamma, 34 Beta, 358 Delta
  • 671 cases await confirmation over VOC
  • 823,246 vaccines have been administered
  • 428,976 residents had one vaccine, which represents 71% of the population
  • 81% of the those 12 years and older have had at least one vaccine
  • 74% of youth 12 to 17 have also received at least one dose of vaccine
The latest top numbers from the health unit show the slow summer progress of vaccinations after a good start.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

  • U.S. finally approves Pfizer for American use.
  • WHO’s latest call is for a two-month booster shot moratorium to allow others to get first and second shots.
  • Ontario is extending its $3 per hour bonus payment for PSWs in LTCs to Oct. 31 after much protesting for the continuance now up to a year. The province says it will cost $169 million for 158,000 eligible workers.
  • People for Education’s Annie Kidder wants the COVID vaccine to be added to the mandatory list of vaccinations all Ontario kids need to return to school.
  • And 6 in 10 Americans favour masks for students and teachers, according to a poll commissioned for the Associated Press.
  • Vaccination proof is catching on across the province like fly balls in the outfield. The Blue Jays are the latest to signal their intent as of Sept. 13.
  • Justin Trudeau is promising billions in the coming years to help shorten waiting lists by providing federal funds to provinces to pass on the municipalities for hiring more doctors.
  • Nova Scotia’s new premier-elect Tory Tim Houston wasted no time in ordering neighbouring New Brunswickers to isolate if they expect to visit unvaccinated.
  • A former Indonesian cabinet member was jailed 12 years and ordered to pay $35,000 after being fired and after police intercepted $1.3 million in suitcases and bags as part of the country’s corruption investigation.
  • South Africa reported 10,748 cases today and 79,421 deaths.
Work around the old Train Station in Gravenhurst continues with decades old cement slabs being lifted as part of a facelift on the old girl.

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