12 Bradford residents among 45 new COVID cases in region today

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has reported 45 new COVID-19 cases and one new death in today's update. 

A Barrie man over the age of 79 years old died on March 10. His case was considered "sporadic" as it was not linked to any outbreaks.

There are 343 active, lab-confirmed cases in the region, most of which are in Simcoe County.

The health unit has reported 759 cases have screened positive and/or been confirmed with sequencing as variant cases, which is up by 33 cases since yesterday's update. Of those, 132 are still active cases. Screening and sequencing tests can take several days, and sometimes results are not returned until after the individual has recovered. 

Sequencing tests have confirmed 243 cases of the B.1.1.7 (variant strain that originated in the UK) in Simcoe Muskoka. There have also been seven cases of the P.1 variant that first originated in Brazil in the region and one case of the B.1.351 strain that originated in South Africa.

Since the start of the pandemic, the local health unit has confirmed 6,884 cases of COVID-19 with 6,273 of those cases recovered and 192 cases ending in death. 

There are 21 people from Simcoe County hospitalized with COVID-19, which includes two new hospitalizations since yesterday. 

The health unit has administered 53,660 doses of vaccines against COVID-19 in Simcoe Muskoka.  

The new cases reported in Simcoe County and Muskoka District today include (case transmission is under investigation unless otherwise specified): 

• Collingwood (1): A man between 18 and 34 years old whose case was community-acquired. 
• Barrie (16): Two youth under 18, five people between 18 and 34 years old, two people between 35 and 44 years old, five people between 45 and 64 years old, and one person over 79. Two cases are listed as community-acquired, and 11 are linked to close contact. One case, a man between 45 and 64 years old, added to today's case list was confirmed in December, but not previously reported. 
• Springwater (1): A man between 45 and 64 years old whose case is linked to close contact. 
• Bradford West Gwillimbury (12): Three youth under 18 years old, three people between 18 and 34 years old, three people between 35 and 44 years old, and three people between 45 and 64 years old. Six cases are linked to close contact and one is listed as community-acquired. 
• Innisfil (8): Three youth under 18, a person between 18 and 34 years old, three people between 45 and 64 years old, and one person between 65 and 79 years old. Three cases are linked to close contact and one to community transmission. 
• Penetanguishene (1): A man over 79 years old. 
• Orillia (1): A man between 18 and 34 years old. 
• Severn (1): A woman between 45 and 64 years old whose case is community-acquired.
• New Tecumseth (3): A person between 18 and 34 years old and two people between 35 and 44 years old. One case is linked to close contact. 
• Adjala-Tosorontio (1): A person between 45 and 64 years old.

For a list of ongoing outbreaks at institutions, long-term care and retirement homes and hospitals in the region, click here.

For more on the local trajectory of COVID-19 from the health unit, click here.

*Cumulative incidence rate is the number of cases per 100,000 people reported to date

**Total cases include the number of cases currently recovering at home as well as any that have recovered, died, or are in hospital

***Weekly incidence rate is the number of cases per 100,000 people reported for the week of Feb. 28. Where municipalities have had low or no weekly increase, no rate is included