Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKKOA — Another rise in COVID cases locally today sees 46 more people infected.

The 133 cases Thursday follow 87 Wednesday.

Two more people in Simcoe also died, both community-related: a man 65-79 who died Feb. 18 and a woman 80+ who died Feb. 21. There are now 397 people who have died in the region during the pandemic.

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) reports 42 people in hospital (2 overnight) and 9 people in ICU.

This as the province is keeping mask mandates for the time being, says Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer. That included in schools and public indoor settings. Both will be lifted at the same time, but he didn’t say when.

Meanwhile, Health Canada says it has received at least 50 reports of people calling poison control centres to report minor health problems associated with exposure to liquid chemicals in some rapid tests.

The agency says people reported spilling the liquid on their skin while testing.

Health Canada said it was acting as precaution in issuing an advisory on “a precautionary basis” to prevent risks associated with misuse, accidental ingestion or skin exposure.

Tests are safe and effective, it says, when used properly. However many kits include chemical preservatives, including sodium azide and Proclin, that may be poisonous if swallowed or absorbed through the skin.

And Ontario’s LTC minister Paul Calandra says a review is underway for mandatory vaccines for staff. Moore wants the workplace mandate to end March 1. Workers have till March 14 to get their booster shot.

While Ontario has lifted its emergency order, Saskatchewan is only considering doing the same. They say people have to learn to “live with COVID-19.”

The new BA.2 Omicron, the first spinoff variant, appears to as less impactful as the original BA.1, early reporting indicates.

Hospitals resume elective, non-elective surgeries

Earlier this week, Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) says it began to slowly resume elective and non-urgent surgeries and procedures.

They were postponed as per government direction in early January, says a release late Thursday afternoon.

MAHC says the “gradual and cautious” resumption follows the provincial lifting of Directive #2, which instructed hospitals to pause non-urgent surgical procedures in response to growing COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations across the province to ensure critical care capacity and human resources were available to care for hospitalized patients.

With the recent provincial direction to restart surgeries that do not require a stay in hospital, MAHC’s surgical teams began assessing readiness for a safe, gradual ramp-up plan. Area surgeons have begun rescheduling patients, and are contacting them to advise of their procedure date.

Also earlier this month outpatient clinics and diagnostic imaging appointments also resumed with greater capacity.

“Delays in some health care services to support provincial pandemic response has been an ongoing challenge for patients awaiting care,” adds interim president and CEO Vickie Kaminski. “We appreciate the public’s understanding of temporary changes when services have to be ramped down. We are eager to return to full capacity.”

THURSDAY: PHO CONFIRMED COVID CASES: … 113 IN SIMCOE-MUSKOKA (45 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 2,404 AND 41 DEATHS (1,475-19); 1,066 IN HOSPITAL (1,106); AND 306 IN ICU (319) … TORONTO 305 (224) … YORK 104 (81) … PEEL 195 (95) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 56 (32) …

 

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

• 34,867 confirmed cases to date
• 250 cases this week
• 694 cases last week, 9% lower than the 762 cases the week before
• 35 deaths in February, 71 in January
• From July 18 to February 23, the rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations among the unvaccinated vaccine-eligible Simcoe Muskoka population is 4 times higher than it is for those who have received at least two vaccine doses, the rate of COVID-19 ICU admissions is eight times higher and the rate of deaths is 3 times higher.
• 1,268,709 vaccines have been administered
• 496,334 residents have received at least one vaccine, which represents 81% of the total population
• 85% of the population 5+ have had at least one dose vaccine, including 81% of youth 12 to 17
• 48% of children 5 to 11 have received at least one vaccine

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

Queen Elizabeth postponed virtual meetings a second straight day as she deals with a positive COVID-19 test. The monarch is continuing “light duties,” said Buckingham Palace.

In Quebec 28 more people have reportedly died. Health officials say 1,604 people are hospitalized, which is down 68 day-over-day. ICU cases dropped under 100 to 96 by 6 cases.

Meanwhile Quebec reports the fastest and most robust economic rebound in the country.

Health Canada has approved a Quebec-based vaccine for adults 18-64. Medicago created Covifenz, a two-dose, plant-based vaccine. Health Canada says its effectiveness and safety have “not yet been established.” Trials suggest it’s 71 per cent effective in protecting against COVID-19 one week after the second dose. Doses are to be given 21 days apart.

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