3 OF 21 COVID CASES IN MUSKOKA, AS ONTARIO ALLOWS MORE LARGE GATHERINGS

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — New Ontario capacity limits on large gatherings indoors and outdoors won’t affect Muskoka where 3 new COVID cases today are among 21 in the region.

They numbers end the week at 79 total cases in Simcoe and Muskoka after 141 last week and 197 the week before.

The 3 northern cases all reported yesterday include:

  • Bracebridge woman, 65-79, is under investigation after a first episode Wednesday
  • Huntsville woman, 45-64, is also under investigation after her first episode Tuesday
  • Muskoka Lakes man, 18-34, had close contact after his first episode Wednesday

This as vaccinations may finally be reaching a significant plateau this weekend.

As of Friday 74.1 per cent of local residents have been vaccinated once and 68.1 per cent twice, according to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU).

Among those who tested positive Thursday 9 were unvaccinated, 5 fully vaccinated and 7 partially vaccinated.

The health unit also reports 169 virus cases remain active.

And that 7 people are in hospital, an increase of 3 over yesterday.

In Alberta where life and death decisions around COVID triage treatment aren’t far away, the small western province is bracing for the worst with more than 1,000 cases a day and an average of 23 people per day this week in ICU. Widespread criticism of the United Conservative government’s response is spreading.

Canada’s top doctor is in no hurry to inoculated children under 12. Dr. Teresa Tam welcomes positive Pfizer vaccine trials on kids as young as 5, but that Canada will examine all data before jumping the gun on shots.

Masks must remain in place in public spaces, even as vaccine rates rise, remind health officials.

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

  • 13,417 cases to date
  • 79 new cases this week; 141 last week, a 28% drop over 197 cases week before
  • From December 22nd, 2020 onwards, there have been 227 confirmed COVID-19 cases among vaccinated individuals.
  • From July 25th to September 18th, the rate of COVID-19 infection among the unvaccinated vaccine-eligible Simcoe Muskoka population is 12 times higher than it is for fully vaccinated population and the rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations is 54 times higher.
  • 4,007 Alpha (B.1.1.7) variants, 168 Gamma, 34 Beta, 1,078 Delta
  • 663 cases await confirmation of variant
  • 872,225 vaccines have been administered
  • 448,083 residents have received one vaccine, which represents 74% of the population
  • 84% of those 12+ have had at least one vaccine
  • 83% of youth 12 to 17 have received one vaccine

Three more people are in hospital since yesterday, bringing their number to 7.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

  • Peel police report 7 calls about people refusing to provide vaccine proof (5 at gyms, 2 at restaurants).
  • U.S. confusion over vaccines and booster shots continues Friday, as the head of the centers for disease control said a third shot should be offered to people 65+, those in nursing home residents and anyone 50 to 64 who risky health problems. Boosters have to given at least six months after a Pfizer shot. Yesterday its advisory panel advised against that.
  • Saskatchewan’s soaring case counts can be largely attributed to communities in the south of the province where vaccination rates are as low as 12 per cent, compared the far north more than half are fully vaccinated.
  • New Brunswick is the latest province to be accused of opening too soon, according to Dr. Gordon Gow, a top provincial health official. N.B. has had 866 cases in September.
  • Nova Scotia has 169 active cases (34 new today), Newfoundland and Labrador 109 (45 today) and PEI 35 (6 new today).

 

EMAIL: news@muskokatoday.com

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