MUSKOKA MAN AMONG 5 COVID DEATHS FRIDAY AGED 80+, AS 176 CASES REPORED IN REGION

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — Five more people in region over 80 have died in accounting today by the health unit.

One of them is a man from Muskoka who died in the community. The other four were in Simcoe and were outbreak related:

  1. Male, 80+, Simcoe, outbreak, DOD – Feb 3
  2. Male, 80+, Muskoka, community, DOD – Jan 30
  3. Male, 80+, Simcoe, outbreak, DOD – Feb 3
  4. Female, 80+, Simcoe, outbreak, DOD – Feb 2
  5. Male, 80+, Muskoka, outbreak, DOD – Feb 3

They are among 176 the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) is reporting Friday.

This as there have been more 4,400 cases associated with local outbreaks since the start of the pandemic.

Since Jan. 1, 2022, nearly all of the local outbreak cases have been associated with institutional or congregate setting outbreaks.

There are currently 50 active COVID-19 outbreaks in Simcoe Muskoka.

Twenty-vie active outbreaks are in institutional settings and six in congregate settings, which is lower than the 33 and 15 (respectively) from one week ago.

As well, an outbreak in a Muskoka child-care setting was declared over Thursday.

Several other OBs, including large one at LTCs, retirement homes, and a small one at SMMH remain active on the health unit’s website.

This as Beijing is in complete lockdown; and truck protests planned for this weekend across Canada have health and police officials on alert.

A section of Toronto’s hospital row, on University Avenue, in front of Ontario’s legislature has closed to traffic in anticipation. Quebec City is also bracing for big rigs and Premier Francois Legault vows they won’t interrupt the famed annual Winter Carnival. He says tow trucks are at the ready.

And Regina closed its legislature early Friday as westerners prepare to protest in Saskatchewan’s capital city.

In Coutts, Alberta, the RCMP won’t say when they expect a U.S. border protest there to end. One lane was briefly opened, but Friday afternoon protesters are only allowing northbound traffic from the states.

Meanwhile, some good news from epidemiologist and University of Ottawa associate professor Raywat Deonandan, who claims the more than 4 million Ontarians who are reported to have already had Omicron that being infected once already may stop them from getting re-infected.

It’s not new, but stay tuned for more.

And Ontario will allow more visitors to long-term care home residents Monday when designated caregivers will be increased to 4 from 2.

Day-trips out will also resume for those who had booster shots.

Another extreme cold alert Friday/Saturday

Getting outdoors remains the most popular health attraction for weary winter and COVID sufferers. But stay bundled up this weekend. The health unit predicts more freezing temperatures. They say an extreme cold warning has been issued by Environment Canada wth wind chill values near -30°C in Simcoe and -35°C in Muskoka. They say decreasing temperatures can put everyone at risk for cold-related illness or injury, such as frostbite and hypothermia. Health risks are greatest for those who are marginally housed or homeless, outdoor workers and sports enthusiasts, older adults, infants and children, and persons with preexisting medical conditions such as heart or lung disease. Consider shortening outdoor play for children when temperatures are between -20°C to -25°C (with or without wind chill) and keep children indoors if temperatures reach or drop below -27°C (with or without wind chill). More advice about winter safety for your children can be found at Caring for Kids, developed by the Canadian Paediatric Society. To reduce your risk, avoid exposure to the cold by covering exposed skin with a hat, gloves, scarf, and take regular breaks from the cold, in warm locations whenever possible.

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

  • 32,478 confirmed cases to date
  • 704 cases this week
  • 1,325 last week, 28% fewer than 1,831 the week before
  • 7 deaths in February, 65 in January, 10 in December
  • From July 18 to Feb. 3 the rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations among the unvaccinated vaccine-eligible Simcoe Muskoka population is 6 times higher than it is for those who have received at least two vaccine doses, the rate of COVID-19 ICU admissions is 11 times higher and the rate of deaths is 4 times higher.
  • 1,249,976 vaccine have been administered
  • 494,779 residents have received at least one vaccine, which represents 82% of the total population
  • 86% of the population 5+ have had at least one vaccine, including 82% of youth 12 to 17
  • 48% of children 5 to 11 have also received at least one dose of vaccine

Hospitalizations locally were down to 42 today with 7 in ICU.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

  • Canada lost 200,000 jobs last month, according to Statistics Canada. It’s the most in a month since January 2021 when 207,800 became unemployed. The latest loss see the unemployment rate slip up to 6.5 per cent. In December it was 6.0 per cent.
  • Austria is the first country in Europe to pass a law that those 18+ must be vaccinated.
  • Spain will allow people there to dispose of masks outdoors.
  • Isolated Tonga avoided the pandemic until a volcano and tsunami brought fresh water and medicine imports — and the virus.

EMAIL: news@muskokatoday.com

28 years of ‘Local Online Journalism’

Twitter: @muskokatoday, Facebook: mclairmont1

Leave comments at end of story

SUBSCRIBE for $25 by e-transferring to news@muskokatoday.com

Or go online to https://muskokatoday.com/subscriptions