5 MUSKOKA CASES FRIDAY AMONG 52 IN REGION WITH 163 THIS WEEK

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — A sixth person in Muskoka has died of COVID.

He was 80+ and his death, on Nov. 4, was considered a sporadic case not linked to any outbreak.

And while cases are declining nationally, regionally they are up.

Friday 52 cases were reported by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) — 5 of them in Muskoka.

They include:

  • Huntsville man, 18-34, under investigation, with a first episode Oct. 28
  • Huntsville man, 34-44, close contact, with a first episode Nov. 1
  • Huntsville woman, 65-79, under investigation, with a first episode Nov. 3
  • Huntsville man, 65-79, under investigation, with a first episode Nov. 3
  • Lake of Bays woman, 80+, close contact, with a first episode Oct. 31

They bring the five-day weekly total to 163 cases.

That’s an increase of 36 over last week’s 127 cases, which was again 4% higher than the 122 people who tested positive the week of Oct. 17.

Of today’s 52 cases: 36 were unvaccinated, 14 fully vaccinated and 2 partially vaccinated.

There are now 247 active cases in Simcoe-Muskoka, with 33 resolved the past day.

Twenty-one are in hospital — one down from yesterday.

Meanwhile, Dr. Theresa Tam says cases are declining slower than in previous waves and that could lead to a return to more gathering restrictions and more passport rules.

This as New Brunswick this afternoon ordered striking CUPE health-care workers back on the job as of midnight. The dispute is over their contract. But the emergency measures act action only applies to striking workers health-care. Others, including jail guards, can continue to picket.

The province reported 51 cases and 1 death Friday.

British Columbia is ending mink farming by 2025 because the threat of COVID-19 transmission is too great, The Canadian Press reports. There are nine farms.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says mink are a reservoir for the spread of COVID-19 to humans and vice versa. B.C. placed a moratorium on new mink farms and capped existing operations at their current animal populations in July after more mink tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19.

Ontario’s vaccination rate is at 84.4 per cent for first doses and 84.9 for second doses among those 12+.

An increase of 31,000 jobs in September dropped the jobless rate to 6.7 per cent from 6.9 per cent in September.

Quebec reports 571 cases and 1 death; Nova Scotia 40 cases.

FRIDAY: COVID BY THE P.H.0. NUMBERS: … 49 CASES IN SIMCOE-MUSKOKA (34 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 563 AND 5 DEATHS (438-5) … TORONTO 44 (72), YORK 52 (37), PEEL 44 (26) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 28 (0) … PORCUPINE 2 (6) …

Nancy Hunter and her daughter, Suzanne, are making sure their dogs get some fresh air and exercise in Gravenhurst.

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

  • 14,203 cases to date
  • 163 cases this week; 127 last week, which was 4% higher than the 122 cases the week before
  • From Dec. 22 there have been 465 confirmed COVID-19 cases among vaccinated individuals
  • 2 deaths in November (1 Muskoka, 1 Simcoe) and 5 deaths each October and September in Simcoe
  • From Sept. 5 to Oct. 30 the rate of COVID-19 infection among the unvaccinated vaccine-eligible Simcoe Muskoka population is 8 times higher than it is for fully vaccinated population and the rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations is 13 times higher.
  • 4,008 Alpha variants of concern, 169 Gamma, 34 Beta, 1,689 Delta
  • 663 cases await confirmation of VOC
  • 911,693 vaccines have been administered
  • 462,300 residents have received at least one vaccine, which represents 77% of the total population
  • 87% of the population 12+ have had at least one vaccine
  • 87% of youth 12 to 17 years of age who have received at least one dose of vaccine

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

  • Waterloo’s associate medical officer of health says socializing is too important and that is the continued price of living with COVID.
  • Toronto has suspended 248 workers for not revealing their vaccination status; but has offered them a chance to come back to work if they provide documentation by mid-December.
  • Nunavut began offering booster shots today to residents 12+.
  • Canada is looking at Merck’s antiviral pill that has been approved in England.
  • Pfizer says its pill is 90 per cent effective in reducing hospitalizations and deaths. It hasn’t been approved anywhere.
  • Old habits die hard. Despite some hope that that the pandemic might curtail gluttonous consumerism, as it had the past 19 months, stores are reporting more people returning to shop and pollute.

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