The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit confirmed 15 new novel coronavirus cases on Thursday, bringing the local total number of cases up to 1,485, including 50 deaths.
Five of the new cases are in Barrie, while three are in Bradford, two are inn Huntsville and two are in New Tecumseth.
The rest are in Clearview, Innisfil and Wasaga Beach.
Three of the cases are a result of close contact with another positive case, while one is community-acquired, one is travel-related and one is associated with a local institutional outbreak.
The rest of the new cases are all under investigation.
Of all the region’s 1,485 cases, 85 per cent — or 1,262 — have recovered, while seven people remain in hospital.
So far this week, the health unit has recorded 132 new COVID-19 cases, which is the highest number of cases reported in a single week since the start of the pandemic.
This is the third consecutive week in which a weekly case record has been reported.
Currently, there are 14 COVID-19 outbreaks in the region — at four workplaces, three educational settings, three retirement homes, two long-term care facilities, one congregate setting and a community setting.
There have been 46 outbreaks in total — at 19 long-term care facilities, 12 workplaces, eight retirement homes, three congregate settings, three educational 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
- St. Charles Catholic 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 Thursday, Ontario reported 998 new coronavirus cases, bringing the local total to 80,690, including 3,195 deaths.