326 REGONAL COVID CASES TODAY WITH 5 MORE DEATHS IN SIMCOE

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — Think it’s cold here?

If you’re in China anywhere near Beijing and you’re shopping for cold medicine … you automatically have to be tested for COVID.

The deep chill is part of a “zero tolerance” policy ahead of the Olympics.

This as 326 new COVID cases are being reported today across Simcoe-Muskoka by the health unit.

And 5 more people in Simcoe have been reported deceased this past week , 2 in outbreaks:

  1. Male 80+, Simcoe, sporadic, DOD Jan 17
  2. Female 65-79, Simcoe, sporadic, DOD Jan 22
  3. Female, 80+, Simcoe, outbreak, DOD Jan 23
  4. Female, 80+, Simcoe, outbreak, DOD Jan 18
  5. Female 80+, Simcoe, sporadic, DOD Jan 24

In addition the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit says 10,335 regional residents who have been fully vaccinated have tested positive, 14,259 have been unvaccinated and 1,108 have been partially vaccinated.

Of Tuesday’s 326 cases 148 were fully vaccinated, 98 unvaccinated and 14 partially vaccinated.

Hospitalizations are at 55 with 9 admissions overnight.

Meanwhile, Premier Doug Ford said this morning he doesn’t see an end in sight for masks to be removed in public settings.

Ford also now says he can spare time for nurses who have been clamouring to meet with him to discuss deteriorating job conditions.

And as some fearful Ontario teachers are boycotting classrooms, school parents are taking to social media with WhatsApp and Facebook pages reporting on student absenteeism absent provincial reporting on truancies.

TUESDAY: CONFIRMED COVID CASES: … 141 IN SIMCOE-MUSKOKA (116 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 3,424 AND 64 DEATHS (4,790-37) 4,008 IN HOSPITAL, 626 IN ICU … TORONTO 570 (886), YORK 197 (384), PEEL 525 (690) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 23 (25) …

It’s a lonely job nights now in Gravenhurst for snow removal crews working the frosty streets this week.
While Gravenhurst streets are being cleared, Torontonians are still learning to drive – and park – in winter. The smart ones, below, are using skates – if not skis to navigate streets Muskokans take for granted in winter.

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

  • 30,530 confirmed cases to date
  • 394 cases this week
  • 1,802 cases last week, 31% lower than the 2,612 cases reported for the week of Jan. 9
  • From Dec. 22 there have been 10,335 confirmed COVID-19 cases among vaccinated individuals
  • 37 deaths in January, 10 in December
  • From July 18 to Jan. 24 the rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations among the unvaccinated vaccine-eligible Simcoe Muskoka population is 9 times higher than it is for fully vaccinated population, the rate of COVID-19 ICU admissions is 17 times higher and the rate of deaths is 8 times higher.
  • 1,222,395 vaccines have been administered
  • 492,224 residents have received at least one vaccine, which represents 81% of the total population
  • 86% of the population 5+ have had at least one vaccine; including 82% of youth 12 to 17
  • 45% of children 5 to 11 have also received at least one vaccine

5 more deaths in Simcoe add to 55 people in hospitals with 9 in ICUs.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

  • Quebec reports 3,278 in hospital, including 263 in ICU. It will also allow restaurants to move to fully open for indoor dining next after opening the door to 50 per cent capacity yesterday.
  • Toronto says 55 per cent of its residents have been boosted = 1,289,164.
  • Kids on The Rock return to class today. Cases in Newfoundland and Labrador are down to 296 from 493 Jan. 4.
  • Boris Johnson faces mounting allegations again Tuesday about the British prime minister’s staff partying while the public was in lockdown.

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