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55 new coronavirus cases, 257 additional variant cases confirmed in Simcoe Muskoka

Click to play video: 'Ontario not mandating COVID-19 vaccines, though ‘strongly encourage’ inoculation: health minister'
Ontario not mandating COVID-19 vaccines, though ‘strongly encourage’ inoculation: health minister
WATCH: Ontario Minister of Health Christine Elliott on Friday said the province is not mandating people to get a COVID-19 vaccine, but inoculation is “strongly encouraged.” – Mar 26, 2021

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit confirmed 55 new coronavirus cases and 257 additional variant cases on Friday, bringing the local total number of cases up to 7,464, including 1,130 variant cases and 196 deaths.

Local public health also administered a total of 2,726 COVID-19 vaccine doses on Thursday, bringing the total number of doses given to 80,315.

Nineteen of the new cases are in Bradford, while 11 are in Barrie and six are in New Tecumseth.

The rest of the new cases are in Clearview, Collingwood, Essa, Innisfil, Orillia, Penetanguishene, Ramara, Springwater and Tay Township.

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Eleven of the new cases are a result of close contact with another positive COVID-19 case, while 11 are community-acquired and two are outbreak-related. One new case is travel-related, while the rest are all still under investigation.

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To date, 542 local cases have tested positive for the COVID-19 B.1.1.7 variant, which was first discovered in the U.K., while 10 people have tested positive for the P.1 variant, which was first discovered in Brazil. Additionally, one person has tested positive for the B.1.351 variant, which was first discovered in South Africa.

Meanwhile, 577 people have also screened positive for a coronavirus variant of concern and are awaiting testing to determine the exact strain.

Of the region’s total 7,464 COVID-19 cases, 90 per cent — or 6,773 people — have recovered, while 22 are currently in hospital.

There are also currently 10 outbreaks in the region — at three workplaces, four educational settings, one community setting, one congregate setting and one institutional setting.

On Friday, Ontario recorded 2,169 new coronavirus cases, bringing the provincial total up to 338,239, including 7,292 deaths.

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