66 CASES IN MUSKOKA MONDAY, AFTER 16 PER CENT DROP IN REGION LAST WEEK

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — After almost 3,000 COVID cases last week in the region, Simcoe-Muskoka starts the week with 337 — including 66 in Muskoka over the weekend.

The 2,988 cases to start off the first week of 2022 was down 16 per cent from the first week after Christmas.

They are among 1,176 reported since Friday.

Of those 773 were fully vaccinated, 166 unvaccinated and 32 partially vaccinated.

And 36 are in hospital — 1 more than Friday.

This as the total number of cases in almost two years topped 26,000.

Meanwhile, a Manitoba government minister remains under fire for his social media post Saturday showing his wife shovelling their driveway in the middle of a freezing cold night after a 12-hour front-line health-care shift while he watched tennis. John Reyes, the province’s economic development minister, tweeted a photo of his wife with the caption:  “Even after a 12 hour night shift at the hospital last night, my wife still has the energy to shovel the driveway.” He told the CBC yesterday he was glad his wife was getting worldwide attention for her tireless efforts on and off the job.

Weekend Muskoka cases:

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

  • 26,050 cases to date
  • 337 cases this week
  • 2,988 cases last week (week of January 2); 16% lower than the 3,544 cases the week of December 26.
  • From December 22nd, 2020 onwards, there have been 7,780 confirmed COVID-19 cases among vaccinated individuals.
  • There were 10 COVID-19 related deaths reported in December, 2021 and two COVID-19 related deaths have been reported in January 2022 to date.
  • 201 cases have tested positive for Omicron
  • 1,236 cases are considered to be Omicron, but await further testing
  • 1,152,489 vaccines have been administered
  • 487,780 residents have had at least one vaccine, which represents 81% of the total population
  • 85% of the population 5+ have had one vaccine; including 82% of youth 12 to 17
  • 41% of children 5 to 11 have also received at least one dose of vaccine

36 in hospital including 1 more over the weekend.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

  • U.S. advises Americans not to go to Canada. After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Level 4 “avoid travel” advisory for Canada Monday, citing a “very high” level of COVID-19 here it urged everyone to be fully vaccinated before going north. As a result, the State Department upgraded its travel advisory from Level 3 to Level 4 and advises: “Do not travel to Canada due to COVID-19.”
  • On the flip side, Canadians snowbirds considering heading south should be aware that Florida reports 125,996 cases today and 182 deaths.
  • 81 per cent of Ontarians 5+ have had 2 vaccines and 87 per cent 1 vaccine.
  • Ontario has 438 people in ICU.
  • Quebec has 2,554 in hospital.

EMAIL: news@muskokatoday.com