The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit confirmed 16 new COVID-19 cases in the region on Thursday, bringing the local total number of cases up to 13,398, including 259 deaths.
Local public health also reported two new cases of a COVID-19 variant on Thursday, bringing that total to 5,908, including 95 cases that are active.
Six of the new cases are in Barrie, while three are in Bradford and two are in New Tecumseth.
The rest of the new cases are in Bracebridge, Collingwood, Huntsville, Midland and Orillia.
Four of the cases are a result of close contact with another positive COVID-19 case, while three are community-acquired. The rest are under investigation.
Of the new cases, six individuals are fully vaccinated, none are partially vaccinated and 10 are not immunized.
Meanwhile, 74 per cent of the region’s population has received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 69.5 per cent has received both necessary doses.
Of the region’s total 13,398 COVID-19 cases, 97 per cent — or 12,978 — have recovered, while five people are currently in hospital.
On Thursday, Ontario reported 677 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the provincial total to 581,908 infections including 9,677 deaths.