Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — An outbreak at Muskoka Shores retirement and LTC home in Gravenhurst — with 52 residents and 14 staff — is part of a four-day New Year’s weekend total of 179 Muskoka cases being reported by the health unit Tuesday.

They are among 2,067 cases since last Friday’s Dec. 31 update by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU).

They report 842 cases Sunday and Monday alone.

And 1 more death in Simcoe.

By comparison, Saskatchewan’s four-day total was 1,954 and 4 deaths.

Last week starting Boxing Day there were 3,507 regional cases locally and the week for that 1,643 leading up to and including Christmas.

That leaves 5,980 active cases in the region, including 34 in hospital (8 new over the weekend) and

Of the 2,067 cases this weekend, 1,434 people were fully vaccinated, 381 unvaccinated and 80 partially vaccinated.

See the full list here of all the cases on the health unit’s website.

Health unit phone lines tied up

The health unit says their Health Connection phone line is experiencing a very high call volume which is impacting our response time and unfortunately your call may be disconnected. And due to limited capacity they cannot guarantee a response to voicemails or emails.

For the most up to date information they suggest their COVID-19 webpages.

If you have a health concern call your health care provider or Telehealth 1-866-797-0000.

TUESDAY: COVID P.H.0. NUMBERS: … 489 CASES IN SIMCOE-MUSKOKA (394 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 11,352 AND 10 DEATHS (13,578-6) … TORONTO 2,480 (3,006) YORK 1,059 (1,260), PEEL 1,486 (1,433) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 47 (35) … PORCUPINE 21 (62) … KINGSTON 102 (78) … HALTON 466 (411) …

* I’ve been exposed to COVID-19 what do I do?

Who will be tested at assessment centres in Huntsville and Bracebridge?

To prioritize those who are at the greatest risk of more severe COVID-19 complications, the Ministry of Health issued updated provincial testing guidance on December 30.

The new eligibility criteria preserves testing capacity for those at highest risk of contracting COVID-19.

Those considered to be a highest risk include:

 patient-facing healthcare workers;

 staff, residents, essential care providers and visitors in hospitals and congregate living settings, including long-term care, retirement homes, First Nation elder care lodges, group homes, shelters, hospices, temporary foreign worker settings and correctional institutions;

 people who are from First Nation, Inuit and Métis communities and individuals travelling into these communities for work;

 individuals 70+ years of age with a risk factor (such as obesity, diabetes or kidney disease);

 under-housed or homeless individuals.

Testing for asymptomatic contacts of cases is no longer recommended, except for high-risk contacts and/or individuals that are part of confirmed or suspected outbreaks in high-risk settings, as recommended by public health.

Individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 can be presumed to be infected with COVID-19 and should initiate timely self-isolation to prevent transmission in the community and follow these steps.

This new guidance also states that positive rapid antigen tests no longer require PCR confirmation at an assessment centre.

Employers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the new testing updates before directing staff to an assessment centre for testing.

More information is available at www.ontario.ca/covidtest

The Huntsville COVID-19 assessment centre is operated by the Town of Huntsville, local physicians and the Algonquin Family Health Team, and is located at the Canada Summit Centre’s Active Living Centre. The Bracebridge site at South Muskoka Memorial Hospital is operated by Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare.

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

• 23,531 cases to date
• 842 cases this week
• 3,507 cases last week (week of December 26), more than double the 1,643 cases the week of December 19
• From December 22 there have been 6,107 confirmed COVID-19 cases among vaccinated individuals.
• 9 deaths in December, 14 in November, 5 each in October and September
• From November 7 to January 1, the rate of COVID-19 infection among the unvaccinated vaccine-eligible Simcoe Muskoka population is two times higher than it is for fully vaccinated population and the rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations is 17 times higher.
• 3,658 Delta cases
• 67 Omicron cases
• 1,685 cases await confirmation of variant
• 1,115,924 vaccines have been administered
• 486,369 individuals living in Simcoe Muskoka have received at least one dose of vaccine, which represents 81% of the total population
• 85% of the population 5+ have had at least one vaccine; including 82% of youth 12 to 17 40% of children 5 to 11 have also received at least one dose of vaccine

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

• Justin Trudeau, age 50 on Christmas, got his booster shot today at an Ottawa pharmacy.
• U.S. reports 1 million cases Monday.
• Ontario offering more help for businesses affected by COVID.
• Canada’s women’s Olympic hockey team going into pre-Olympic bubble.
• Habs have 22 players with COVID.
• ½ Toronto’s libraries closing as staff hit with COVID.
• Spanish students will return to school next week.

EMAIL: [email protected]

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