IT’S WORSE THAN YOU THINK ADMITS HEALTH UNIT, AS CASES TOP 200 INCLUDING 10 MORE IN MUSKOKA

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — “Confirmed cases underestimate the true number of people with COVID-19 infection in Simcoe Muskoka.”

That’s the official word today out of the health unit, as they report another record day with 229 cases. Yesterday there were 197.

Ten of them are in Muskoka — Bracebridge, Gravenhurst and Huntsville.

“The current demand for lab-based PCR COVID-19 testing has exceeded capacity,” says the health unit, “and this in conjunction with other biases (e.g. limited testing of asymptomatic individuals) can contribute to underestimating COVID-19 transmission in our communities.”

As of Thursday 930 more cases that have screened positive await confirmation of the exact variant of concern.

Dr. Charles Gardner, MOH, admitted as much yesterday when he said staff “burnout” and “fatigue” among health-care workers are playing havoc with contact tracing and data collection.

This comes as the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) even topped troubled Kingston in case counts — 213 to 146 according to this morning’s Public Health Ontario (PHO) numbers.

Active cases in the region are up to 1,647 after reaching 1,495 yesterday.

Among them are 10 Muskoka cases:

  1. Bracebridge girl, 0-17, community acquired, reported Dec. 22, first episode Dec. 18
  2. Bracebridge boy, 0-17, under investigation, reported Dec. 22, first episode Dec. 21
  3. Gravenhurst woman, 18-34, under investigation, reported Dec. 22, first episode Dec. 20
  4. Gravenhurst man, 18-34, under investigation, reported Dec. 22, first episode Dec. 20
  5. Gravenhurst man, 18-34, under investigation, reported Dec. 22, first episode Dec. 20
  6. Gravenhurst woman, 65-79, under investigation, reported Dec. 22, first episode Dec. 19
  7. Huntsville girl, 0-17, community acquired, reported Dec. 22, first episode Dec. 18
  8. Huntsville woman, 18-34, under investigation, reported Dec. 22, first episode Dec. 20
  9. Huntsville man, 18-34, under investigation, reported Dec. 22, first episode Dec. 21
  10. Huntsville man, 45-64, under investigation, reported Dec. 22, first episode Dec. 11

There were no new deaths reported today.

Simcoe-Muskoka surpassed Kingston again today. Since last Thursday the two health units have posted some of the highest numbers in the province and each has led the other four out of the eight days.

Our analysis starting last Thursday, Dec. 16, until today shows Kingston first: 190/107, 205/128, 144/188, 129/173, 130/88, 118/82, 103/159 and 146/213. The figures are from PHO.

Meanwhile, 30 people remain in hospital with no new admittance overnight.

Again as expected 162 fully vaccinated residents topped the unvaccinated at 52 and 8 partially vaccinated.

And 73 cases were resolved.

NOTE: The Huntsville Ontario COVID-19 Assessment Centre will be closed tomorrow, Friday Dec 24. It will reopen Monday Dec. 27 to Thursday Dec. 30 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday Dec. 31 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The centre will also be closed Monday Jan. 3.

THURSDAY: COVID P.H.0. NUMBERS: … 213 CASES IN SIMCOE-MUSKOKA (159 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 5,790 AND 7 DEATHS (4,383-9) … TORONTO 1527 (1,284), YORK 470 (479), PEEL 491 (335) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 30 (17) … PORCUPINE 36 (27) … KINGSTON 146 (103) …

Tis the season for good cheer as this merry elf does spreading comfort and joy while working at The Pines in Bracebridge where despite COVID Santa will visit each resident Christmas Day with gifts thanks to some donors and followed by a traditional dinner with all the trimmings.

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

  • 18,156 cases to date
  • 618 this week
  • 852 last week, which was 51% higher than the 564 cases beginning Dec. 5
  • From Dec. 22 there have been 2,273 confirmed COVID-19 cases among vaccinated individuals
  • 6 deaths in December, 14 in November, 5 each in October and September
  • From Oct. 24 to Dec. 18 the rate of COVID-19 infection among the unvaccinated vaccine-eligible Simcoe Muskoka population is five times higher than it is for fully vaccinated population and the rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations is 15 times higher.
  • 3,498 Delta cases
  • 930 cases have screened positive awaiting confirmation of VOC
  • 1,061,236 vaccines have been administered
  • 484,412 residents have received at least one vaccine, which represents 80% of the total population
  • 84% of the population 5+ have had at least one vaccine; including 82% of youth 12 to 17
  • 38% of children 5 to 11 have also received at least one dose of vaccine

Active cases are up to 1,647 from yesterday’s 1,495. And there are 30 in hospital.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

  • Quebec is Canada’s worst pandemic performer today, with 9,397. Yesterday that was 6,361.
  • 1 in 5 Quebecers is testing positive; including 60 per cent of those in Montreal aged 18-44.
  • Ontario kids aged 4 will now have to wait until their 5th birthday to get vaccinated. That’s a reversal from the province’s original announcement that if you were turning 5 in 2021 you could get your first shot in the 5-11 eligible group.
  • Ontario has vaccinated 26 million people — including those who have gotten booster shots.
  • Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and his United Conservative Party (UCP) are being roundly criticized for hosting a Christmas party hours after their health minister told Albertans not to gather in groups of more than 10. The party defended its holiday party gathering by saying the minister’s announcement came to late for them.
  • Italy orders masks outdoors and further restricting more unvaccinated people in public places. That includes barring them from their famous quick-go java jolt stand-up coffee and sticky bun tables. They reported 44,600 new cases over the past 24 hours and 168 deaths.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador tied a record with 100 cases Thursday.
  • After one U.K. epidemiologist said yesterday Omicron may be as severe as Delta, another study by the country’s Health Security Agency says Brits are 50-70 per cent more likely to end up in hospital because of the new variant circling the earth.
  • Performances of Come From Away are cancelled tonight, tomorrow and Sunday at the Royal Alex Theatre in Toronto after a back-stage worker tested positive. The theatre just re-opened with the play last week.
  • The Leafs are down 12 good men now — front to back at all positions. Star defenceman Morgan Reilly is the latest to go under the NHL’s COVID protocol. He joins fellow all-star captain and centre John Tavares and goaltender Jack Campbell.

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