NO MUSKOKA CASES FOR TUESDAY, BUT 34 IN SIMCOE AS WEEKLY NUMBERS MOUNTING

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — While there are no new cases today in Muskoka, 34 residents of Simcoe County tested positive yesterday.

They bring the region’s total number of cases this week to 50.

Last week on this day there were 42 cases for the first two days of the week.

That led to 247 by last Friday.

As of today there are 300 active cases, according to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU).

And among those 34 new cases 26 were unvaccinated, 7 fully vaccinated and 1 partially vaccinated.

Hospitalizations are up by 4 overnight to 20 today.

This as Health Canada has approved Pfizer booster shots for adults 18 and older.

And Ontario has started to give those third shots to eligible residents 70+ and anyone with vulnerable health conditions.

The province’s health minister blames colder weather as a reason for the latest spike in cases; while health critics cite recently relaxed gathering rules indoors and outdoors.

And as Ontario commits $12.4 million in mental health spending for front-line health care workers.

TUESDAY: COVID BY THE P.H.0. NUMBERS: … 37 CASES IN SIMCOE-MUSKOKA (16 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 441 AND 3 DEATHS (480-2) … TORONTO 55 (53), YORK 30 (39), PEEL 15 (39) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 1 (3) … PORCUPINE 1 (1) …

Dr. Michael Taylor knows how to keep healthy and be prepared for winter. The Gravenhurst chiropractor has his snow tires on ready for a return to winter. But he will have to wait a little longer as similar weather to today will persist for a day or two longer.

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

  • 14,338 cases to date
  • 50 cases this week
  • 247 cases last week, which was nearly double the 127 cases the week before
  • From Dec. 22 there have been 493 cases among vaccinated residents
  • 5 deaths in each of the previous two months and 2 deaths so far in November
  • From Sept. 12 to Nov. 6 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 9 times higher.
  • 4,008 Alpha variants of concern, 169 Gamma, 34 Beta, 1,792 Delta
  • 914,894 vaccines have been administered
  • 462,940 residents living in Simcoe Muskoka have received at least one vaccine, which represents 77% of the total population
  • 87% of the population 12+ have had at least one vaccine
  • 87% of youth 12 to 17 have also received at least one vaccine

There are 50 cases so far this week, bringing to 300 the number of active cases.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

  • Manitoba reports a fourth wave record of 185 cases.
  • The Yukon enters a state of emergency Saturday with 280 cases per 100,000 population. Its population at the start of the pandemic was 43,000.
  • Hospitals in the Dutch province of Limburg face a crushing number of COVID cases that they say they may not be able to handle.
  • Interest rates are expected to rise again as financial levers are loosened on certain sectors seeing returns to pre-pandemic levels in terms of spending.
  • U.S. to buy one billion more Merck COVID pills after ordering 1.7 billion in June at a cost of $1.4 billion.
  • Russia records a second day of record deaths with 1,211 people dying.

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