The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit confirmed 61 new novel coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the local number of cases up to 2,519, including 53 deaths.
Twenty-one of the new cases are in Barrie, Ont., while seven are in Bradford, seven are in Innisfil and seven are in New Tecumseth.
The rest of the new cases are in Collingwood, Gravenhurst, Midland, Muskoka Lakes, Orillia, Oro-Medonte, Penetanguishene, Springwater, Tay Township and Tiny Township.
Six of the new cases are a result of close contact with another positive COVID-19 case. One new case is a result of a congregate setting outbreak, while four a result of an institutional outbreak and one is a result of a workplace outbreak. The rest of the new cases are all still under investigation.
This week, the health unit has already reported 272 new COVID-19 cases, making it the highest number of weekly cases reported since the start of the pandemic.
Last week, the average daily growth in confirmed cases was 1.8 per cent. Based on projections — if that level of growth continues — the health unit says there will be about 450 cases reported during the week of Dec. 27 to Jan. 2.
According to the health unit, about half of all new infections in December with a known cause were acquired through close contact with a confirmed positive COVID-19 case. About 20 per cent were acquired in the community with no known source of infection.
Of the region’s total 2,519 coronavirus cases, 82 per cent — or 2,070 — have recovered, while 13 people remain in hospital.
There are also currently 16 COVID-19 outbreaks in the region — at five schools, four congregate settings, three workplaces, two long-term care facilities, one retirement home and one hospital.
The school outbreaks are at Steele Street Public School and Portage View Public School, both in Barrie, as well as Nantyr Shores Secondary School in Innisfil, Bradford District High School and Banting Memorial High School in Alliston.
The region has seen a total of 81 coronavirus outbreaks since the start of the pandemic — at 22 long-term care facilities, 19 workplaces, 13 educational settings, 11 retirement homes, 11 congregate settings, four community settings and one hospital.
According to the province of Ontario, 26 schools under the public Simcoe County school board and the Catholic Simcoe Muskoka school board are reporting at least one case of COVID-19.
The affected schools are:
- W.C. Little Elementary School in Barrie
- Barrie North Collegiate Institute
- Bear Creek Secondary School in Barrie
- Eastview Secondary School in Barrie
- Portage View Public School in Barrie
- Steele Street Public School in Barrie
- Innisdale Secondary School in Barrie
- St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Barrie
- St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Elementary School in Barrie
- St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic School in Barrie
- St. Joan of Arc Catholic High School in Barrie
- St. Peter’s Catholic Secondary School in Barrie
- Bradford District High School
- Angus Morrison Elementary School in Essa
- Nottawasaga Pines Secondary School in Essa
- Our Lady of Grace Catholic School in Essa
- Banting Memorial High School in New Tecumseth
- St. Paul’s Catholic School in New Tecumseth
- Boyne River Public School in New Tecumseth
- Nantyr Shores Secondary School in Innisfil
- Alcona Glen Elementary School in Innisfil
- Lake Simcoe Public School in Innisfil
- St. James Catholic School in Adjala-Tosorontio
- East Oro Public School in Oro-Medonte
- Twin Lakes Secondary School in Orillia
- Our Lady of Lourdes Separate School in Springwater
On Wednesday, Ontario reported 1,890 new coronavirus cases, bringing the provincial total up to 132,800, including 3,836 deaths.