Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — Muskoka has almost doubled it number of COVID deaths this past week.

Six more Muskokans have died, including five in long-term care, Dr. Charles Gardner confirmed this afternoon. Among today’s lag in deaths reported were 5 who were 80+ (2 men and 3 women) and a man 65-79 who died in the community.

Those include:

• Male 65-79, Simcoe, sporadic, DOD Jan 7, 2022
• Female 80+, Muskoka, outbreak, DOD Jan 5, 2022
• Female 80+ Muskoka, outbreak, DOD Jan 3, 2022
• Male 80+, Muskoka, outbreak, DOD Jan 7, 2022
• Male 80+, Muskoka, outbreak, DOD Jan 9, 2022
• Male 80+ Muskoka, outbreak, DOD Jan 17, 2022

They are in addition to 8 others who previously died the past two years. There are now 14 residents who have reportedly been deceased in Muskoka.

All are among 18 who died this month in the region; 12 alone this past week (6 others were in Simcoe yesterday).

This as Wednesday the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) also reported 374 cases (the province said 298). Cases are no longer reported by individual communities or by age and gender.

Gardner, medical officer of health, said that January has already seen the highest monthly count at 7,002 confirmed cases. December last was the closest at 6,536.

He said that 876 cases so far this week brings the pandemic total to 29,255. Last week cases dropped 17 per cent to 2,564 from 3,086 the week prior.

Of Wednesday’s cases 14 per cent were unvaccinated, 83 per cent fully vaccinated and 4 per cent partially vaccinated.

Thirty people are in hospital, with 5 in ICU (31-7 last Wednesday), numbers Gardner called stable in relative terms over past weeks.

And among those in hospital now 9 (30 per cent) have no vaccination record, 20 were fully vaccinated and 1 partially vaccinated.

Virtually all cases (97 per cent) last week were Omicron.

While hospitalizations are the latest metrics focus, Gardner said outbreaks also increased this past week to 96 today up by 14 in the institutions they follow (not private worksites).

Seven are in hospitals — including in some in more than one wing or ward.

Twenty-three are in LTCs and 18 in retirement homes and 10 in child care settings.

In 27 of them there are 10 or more cases — up from 15 such facilities a week ago.

A number have had hospitalizations and deaths, including Muskoka Shores in Gravenhurst and Muskoka Landing in Huntsville.

Reporting on vaccinations, Gardner said 47 per cent of those 18+ have received a booster dose similar to the provincial rate.

Among those 50 and above 65 per cent are fully vaccinated and 80 per cent of those 70 and above have had booster shots. But at younger age levels they are not doing as well as the province.

Simcoe-Muskoka is doing better for third shots for those 60+ than the provincial average.

Yesterday 5,450 booster shots were administered, including 3,636 at the health unit’s mass immunization clinics — which are now accepting walk-in appointments for all age groups young and old.

For children 5-11 the coverage rate is 43 per cent for first vaccines. And 2,307 are booked for their first dose appointment. But he admitted they have a “very long way to get very high coverage.”

Those youth vaccinations are also available for children eight weeks after their first shot.

Gardner added: “We’re also finding that the younger population — children and young adults — have the highest positivity rate. We also have a very high incidence of transmission for those that are 80 or more years of age,” which he said is “probably more reflective of the outbreaks we’re experiencing now in our long-term care facilities and retirement homes and congregate settings for seniors.”

He added that waste water surveillance in Barrie and Orillia is seeing “very high readings for COVID-19 detection” — but with some reduction lately.

Those numbers, he said may be in keeping with more transmissions now and possible indication of peaking at this time.

The MOH would still like more information and analysis provincially, “knowing there is strong provincial interest in carrying out that kind of analysis.”

Cellphone tracking shows people responded to Omicron

Gardner was asked if he was at all concerned about complacency or lethargy setting in within communities and whether there is certain inevitability among the public that they will get Omicron, and which may be seeing residents giving up and letting down their guards as peak levels appear on the horizon possibly next month?

He said he has been encouraged of late that extra health measures and restrictions had led to a slowdown in cases.

Describing the pandemic as having been “very long and tiring and exhausting,” Gardner said “in many instances it’s been heartbreaking to people and impacts on their lives. People who they know who passed away; impacts on their livelihood, their recreation, their children …. “So I would fully acknowledge just how difficult it’s been.

“And despite that we know from tracking data, looking at the movement of the population — following their cellphones in an aggregate way, aggregate data — that’s posted on the science table’s dash board that people actually did respond quite substantially when they learned of Omicron.

“So through the month of December there was quite a substantial drop in people’s mobility — people going out in to the community and attending work and going to other venues — in response to what they were learning about Omicron and the risk of Omicron.”

As to fourth doses he said the health unit is awaiting further guidance from the province beyond a small select group of Ontarians now eligible who are immune compromised and have other added primary health risks.

WEDNESDAY: CONFIRMED COVID CAESS: … 298 CASES IN SIMCOE-MUSKOKA (285 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 5,744 AND 59 DEATHS (7,086-37) … TORONTO 949 (1,628), YORK 390 (545), PEEL 914 (1,106) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 44 (27) … PORCUPINE 36 (43) … KINGSTON 43 (33) … HALTON 436 (418) …

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

• 29,255 confirmed cases
• 876 cases this week.
• 2,564 last week, 17% lower than the 3,086 cases reported for the week of Jan. 2
• From Dec. 22 there have been 9,724 confirmed COVID-19 cases among vaccinated individuals
• 18 deaths in January, 10 in December

• From July 18 to Jan. 18 the rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations among the unvaccinated vaccine-eligible Simcoe Muskoka population is 11 times higher than it is for fully vaccinated population, the rate of COVID-19 ICU admissions is 18 times higher and the rate of deaths is 9 times higher
• To date, 268 cases have tested positive for the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of concern, and an additional 1,661 cases are considered suspect Omicron (awaiting confirmatory testing).
• 1,199,917 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Simcoe Muskoka, including doses administered by local pharmacies
• 490,237 residents have received at least one 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 years of age.
• 43% of children 5 to 11 years of age have received at least one dose of vaccine

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

• Canada’s inflation rate hit 4.8 per cent in December — a 30-year high.
• Public Services and Procurement Canada has terminated two supply contracts with Supermax Healthcare Canada, worth $222 million, following allegations the medical gloves it supplies from Malaysia for use by Canadian health-care workers were made with forced labour.

• Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kieran Moore says that the unvaccinated make up just 10 per cent of the province’s population, but account for 50 per cent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Ontario is reporting 4,132 people hospitalized with COVID-19, 589 in the ICU and 60 deaths. And 53 per cent were admitted to the hospital for COVID; while 47 per cent were admitted for other reasons but have tested positive for COVID.
• 1,600 New Brunswickers have responded to a call to volunteer themselves to fill in for clinical and non-clinical workers off the job, including clerical and data entry.
• Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott confirms the province will be easing up on restriction soon with an announcement within days. Hospitalizations and ICU admittances are offering hope the latest Omicron wave may be peaking. There are 4,183 in hospital and 580 in ICU — well below capacity and at the height of the third wave when 900 ICU beds were occupied. Ontario Chamber of Commerce president Rocco Rossi welcomed the news saying businesses are suffering “whiplash” with all the openings and closings. The latest provincial public and provincial restrictions were put in place until next Wednesday, Jan. 26.
• Meanwhile, B.C. will keep its restrictions another month longer.
• Masks will no longer be required in the U.K., says under fire British PM Boris Johnson, citing “peak” numbers.
• U.S. to give away 400 million N95 masks starting next week.
• Quebec’s health and welfare commissioner Joanne Castonguay won’t call for a public inquiry in to 4,836 elder care and retirement home deaths. She says the government has enough information to make changes after her study, a coroner’s inquest and an investigation by the province’s ombudswoman. There are 3,425 Quebecers in hospital.

• Czech Republic’s new government overturns previous administration’s plan for older residents and some professions to be vaccinated.
• Manitoba sending 300 spinal surgery patients to Fargo, N.D., for treatment.
• Remember your mom saying don’t speak with your mouth full? Now a GTA school board says eat — but don’t chew without your mask on. And don’t forget to chew multiple times to make sure you digest your food.

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