Ontario’s Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit confirmed 12 new coronavirus cases in the region on Wednesday, bringing the total number of local cases to 835, including 38 deaths.
Most of the new cases are in Muskoka, with three in Bracebridge, four in Huntsville, two in Gravenhurst and one in Muskoka Lakes.
Two of the new cases are in Innisfil involving people ranging in age between 18 and 34.
The Muskoka Lakes case is a result of a community outbreak, while two COVID-19 cases in Bracebridge are a result of close contact with another positive case.
The rest of the new cases are still under investigation.
On Wednesday, the health unit declared an outbreak at Muskoka Shores Care Community, a long-term care home in Gravenhurst. There are also active outbreaks at the Pines Long-Term Care Home in Bracebridge and at Leacock Retirement Lodge in Orillia.
Of all the health unit’s 835 coronavirus cases, 85 per cent — or 709 — have recovered, while one person remains in hospital.
Amid an uptick of cases in Simcoe County and Muskoka, the region’s health unit is advising people to reduce their social circles to include household members only and to avoid social gatherings.
On Wednesday, Ontario reported 335 new coronavirus cases, bringing the provincial total to 48,087, including 2,835 deaths.