The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit confirmed 17 new novel coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the local total number of cases to 1,471, including 50 deaths.
Six of the new cases are in Barrie, Ont., while four are in Bradford, two are in New Tecumseth and two are in Tay Township.
The rest are in Essa, Innisfil and Tiny Township.
Four of the new cases are a result of close contact with another positive COVID-19 case, while two are community-acquired. The rest are still under investigation.
Of all the region’s 1,471 cases, 82 per cent — or 1,210 — have recovered, while five people remain in hospital.
According to the health unit, 47 COVID-19 cases in the region can be attributed to 23 separate Thanksgiving gatherings.
During the week of Oct. 25, there were 124 new cases reported by the health unit, which was the highest number of cases reported in a single week since the start of the pandemic.
So far this week, the health unit has reported 118 new cases, just six cases shy of surpassing its weekly case record.
There are currently 13 COVID-19 outbreaks in the region — at four workplaces, three retirement homes, three educational settings, one long-term care facility, one congregate setting and a community setting.
There have been 45 coronavirus outbreaks in the region in total — at 18 long-term care homes, 12 workplaces, eight retirement homes, three educational settings, three congregate settings and one community setting.
The current COVID-19 school outbreaks in the region are at Bradford District High School and Hillcrest Public School in Barrie, according to the health unit.
According to the province of Ontario, 14 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:
- Hillcrest Public School in Barrie
- Bradford District High School
- St. Angela Merici Catholic Elementary School in Bradford
- Guthrie Public School in Oro-Medonte
- Alcona Glen Elementary School in Innisfil
- Innisfil Central Public School
- Nantyr Shores Secondary School in Innisfil
- Banting Memorial High School in New Tecumseth
- Tecumseth Beeton Elementary School in New Tecumseth
- Father F.X. O’Reilly School in New Tecumseth
- Holy Family Catholic School in New Tecumseth
- St. Paul’s Catholic School in New Tecumseth
- Tay Shores Public School in Tay Township
On Wednesday, Ontario reported 987 new coronavirus cases, bringing the provincial total up to 79,692, including 3,182 deaths.