The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit confirmed 50 additional COVID-19 cases in the region on Wednesday, bringing the local total number of cases up to 12,881, including 256 deaths.
Local public health also reported 26 new cases of a COVID-19 variant on Wednesday, bringing that total to 5,426, including 126 cases that are active.
Fourteen of the new cases are in Barrie, while seven are in Innisfil, five are in Gravenhurst, five are in New Tecumseth, four are in Oro-Medonte, three are in Bradford, three are in Essa, three are in Huntsville and three are in Orillia.
The rest are in Collingwood, Tay Township and Tiny Township.
Eleven of the new cases are a result of close contact with another positive COVID-19 case, while four are travel-related, three are community-acquired and the rest are under investigation.
Of the new cases, nine are fully vaccinated, three are partially vaccinated and 38 are not immunized.
Meanwhile, 71.8 per cent of the region’s population has received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 65.5 per cent has received both necessary doses.
Of the region’s total 12,881 COVID-19 cases, 96 per cent — or 12,414 — have recovered, while 12 people are currently in hospital.
On Wednesday, Ontario reported 656 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the provincial total up to 566,206, including 9,516 deaths.