The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit confirmed 19 new novel coronavirus cases on Tuesday, bringing the local total number of cases up to 1,305, including 49 deaths.
Seven of the new cases are in New Tecumseth, while five are in Innisfil, two are in Barrie, two are in Bradford and two are in Clearview. The final new case is in Springwater.
Four of the new cases are a result of close contact with another positive COVID-19 case, while two are community-acquired.
One case is a result of a workplace outbreak, while the rest of the new cases are under investigation.
Of the new cases, nine involve people ranging in age between 18 and 34, while seven involve people ranging in age between 34 and 44.
Eighty-three per cent — or 1,089 — of the region’s total 1,305 cases have recovered, while five remain in hospital.
There have also been a total of 35 COVID-19 outbreaks in the region — at 18 long-term care facilities, nine workplaces, five retirement homes and three congregate settings.
According to the province of Ontario, 11 schools under the public Simcoe County school board and the Catholic Simcoe Muskoka school board are each reporting at least one case of COVID-19.
The affected schools are listed as the following:
- Barrie North Collegiate Institute (one case)
- Innisdale Secondary School in Barrie (one case)
- St. Peter’s Catholic Secondary School in Barrie (one case)
- Bradford District High School (one case)
- Collingwood Collegiate Institute (one case)
- Guthrie Public School in Oro-Medonte (one case)
- Nantyr Shores Secondary School in Innisfil (one case)
- Tecumseth Beeton Elementary School (four cases)
- Father F.X. O’Reilly Catholic School in New Tecumseth (one case)
- St. Paul’s Catholic School in New Tecumseth (one case)
- St. Marie of the Incarnation Catholic School in Bradford (one case)
This week, the health unit says there have already been 73 new COVID-19 cases. There were 111 new cases reported the previous week — the highest number of cases reported in a week since the start of the pandemic.
According to the health unit, October has seen more than double the number of new cases than were reported in September.
On Tuesday, Ontario reported 827 new coronavirus cases, bringing the provincial total to 72,051, including 3,103 deaths.