The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit reported three new cases of the novel coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the local total number of cases to 602, including 36 deaths.
The new cases are in Essa and New Tecumseth, Ont., involving people ranging in age from 35 to 64.
One of the new cases is a result of close contact with another COVID-19 case, while the source of infection for the two others is still under investigation.
The three new cases are both from Wednesday and Thursday, as the Simcoe Muskoka health unit did not release a COVID-19 case report on Canada Day.
Of the Simcoe Muskoka health unit’s total cases, 508 people have recovered and four people remain in hospital. Of all cases, about 18 per cent have been related to local institutional outbreaks.
There have been COVID-19 outbreaks in nine long-term care facilities, three retirement homes and one group home, as well as at three workplaces across the region.
According to the health unit, most of its coronavirus cases are from the Barrie and South Simcoe areas.
On Thursday, Ontario reported 302 new coronavirus cases, bringing the provincial total to 35,370, including 2,680 deaths. Case numbers weren’t reported by the province on Canada Day — Ontario added 149 COVID-19 cases Wednesday and 153 Thursday.