The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit confirmed three new cases of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, bringing the local total number of cases to 501, including 36 deaths.
The new cases are in Barrie and Bradford, Ont., involving people ranging in age between their 10s and their 50s.
One of the new cases is community-acquired, while the source of infection for two of the new cases is under investigation.
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit declared an additional coronavirus outbreak at Creedan Valley Care Community in Creemore, Ont., on Monday.
According to Charles Gardner, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit’s medical officer of health, one staff member at the facilities has tested positive for the virus.
There have been 11 total COVID-19 outbreaks at facilities across the region in seven long-term care facilities, three retirement homes and one group home.
“We are concerned about the potential for transmission in the workplace,” Gardner said. “We have two situations that are under investigation right now, where we’ve got small clusters associated with the work environment.”
One situation is involving three workers at a farm in Simcoe County, whereas the second situation is involving a cluster of three staff who are infected with the coronavirus at the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre in Barrie.
“In that situation, there’s been no contact with any patients because of the location in the hospital in which this has happened,” Gardner said. “We’re presently working closely with RVH to investigate.”
Of the Simcoe Muskoka health unit’s total cases, 84 per cent, or 422, have recovered, while 107 have been related to local institutional outbreaks. Six people remain in hospital.
On Tuesday, the province of Ontario reported 230 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the provincial total to 31,090, including 2,464 deaths.