40 COVID CASES IN REGION TODAY INCLUDES HUNTSVILLE MAN WITH CLOSE CONTACT

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — Forty COVID cases in the region include a man in Huntsville, aged 65-79, who had close contact with a first episode Tuesday.

His case was reported today by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU).

The big jump in cases is up from 26 yesterday.

And is accompanied by a fourth day of hospital increases: from 12 Monday, 17 Tuesday, 21 Wednesday and 22 people today.

Thursday’s 40 cases include

Among 26 unvaccinated, 12 fully vaccinated and 2 partially vaccinated.

Vaccinations were at 76.4 per cent with one dose and 73.1 with two. Both figures are for the full population — including among kids who will soon be vaccinated.

All of this as a provincial mini budget today included putting $549 million more the next three years into home and community care for expanded home-care services. They say it will help 28,000 patients with post-acute surgical care and assist 21,000 people with complex health conditions. The money will also go toward nursing and therapy visits and personal support services.

The news comes after Health Minister Christine Elliott confirmed this morning that Ontario won’t mandate vaccines for health-care workers including those in hospitals.

But LTC care workers do have to be vaccinated to work with vulnerable patients.

Elliott wants to ensure other surgical procedures continue and fears forced injections will cost the province hospital staff.

But neither she nor Premier Doug Ford, this week, would provide actual numbers of workers willing to risk their jobs to justify those claims.

Ford claimed a “potential departure of tens of thousands of health-care workers,” which Elliott denied.

The Ontario budget did, however, re-iterate more money for nurses.

B.C. said it is pressing ahead with is vaccine mandate for all health-care workers.

Quebec, too, has rejected vaccines in the province where COVID cases spiked even higher with 588 people testing positive — but with no deaths.

Manitoba reports 154 cases and 2 deaths.

THURSDAY: COVID BY THE P.H.0. NUMBERS: … 34 CASES IN SIMCOE-MUSKOKA (26 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 438 AND 5 DEATHS (378-5) … TORONTO 72 (64), YORK 37 (41), PEEL 26 (13) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 0 (1) … PORCUPINE 6 (1) …

Jesse Grimes, the new owner this summer of the Sobeys in Gravenhurst, is a big supporter of the Salvation Army food bank and the GAP with daily donations. Shoppers have bought and donated more than 700 bags of food recently for the two community food providers, which store employees have made up. They have skid loads of of the $10 bags for sale and donation available at the checkouts.

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

  • 14,151 cases to date
  • 111 cases so far this week; 127 last week, which was 4% higher than the 122 cases the week of Oct. 17
  • From Dec. 22 there have been 449 confirmed COVID-19 cases among vaccinated individuals
  • 5 deaths each of the past two months and 1 death has been reported so far in November
  • From Sept. 5 to Oct. 30 the rate of COVID-19 infection among the unvaccinated vaccine-eligible Simcoe Muskoka population is 8 times higher than it is for fully vaccinated population and the rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations is 13 times higher.
  • 4,008 Alpha variants of concern, 169 Gamma, 34 Beta 1,674 Delta
  • 910,810 vaccines have been administered
  • 462,010 residents have received at least one vaccine, which represents 76% of the total population
  • 87% of those 12+ have had at least one vaccine
  • 87% of youth 12 to 17 have also received at least one dose of vaccine

Hospitalizations have risen from 12 to 22 this week.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

Britain has approved Merck’s antiviral pill to treat early stages of COVID among those over 18 who tested positive and are vulnerable to severe diseases. No date has been set for its use.

Two top Swiss skiers won’t be going downhill at Lake Louise at the end of the month in the season’s first World Cup events because they aren’t fully vaccinated as Canada requires.

Toronto District School Board reports almost 800 workers are on unpaid leave for not disclosing their vaccine status. Most (693) are casual workers and 100 are full-time staff, including 13 elementary teachers and 3 high school teachers.

Tens of millions of American businesses with more than 100 employees will need them to vaccinate or be tested multiple times a week by Jan. 4.

Peel region, which has been hard-hit, is near to its 90 per cent fully vaccinated goal. Though those at an overnight birthday party in Brampton are being urged to get tested after an outbreak.

Beijing is circling the wagons as it locks down to rural residents. Hundreds of trains are no longer allowed into the capital from about half the provinces outside it where cases are back on the rise.

Germany has had its worst COVID increase yet — with 165 deaths yesterday. So far they have 96,192 die. Italy had 59 deaths at the same time.

A Florida official is accused of stealing $300,000 from a COVID fund. She was the president of the Broward County Democratic Black Caucus. And her father is running for Congress.

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