The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit reported two deaths and two new hospitalizations related to COVID in the latest update published March 8.
The deaths reported today were both men between 65 and 79 years old from Simcoe County. One man died on March 7, and one died on March 5.
There are at least 22 people from the region hospitalized because of COVID-19, including seven patients in intensive care units.
Testing has captured 113 new COVID cases in the region since the last update. Because testing is not available to everyone, case counts are underestimated.
Since the start of the pandemic, the local health unit has confirmed 36,185 cases of COVID-19 with 34,996 of those cases recovered and 420 cases ending in death.
Since July 18, 2021, hospitalizations of Simcoe-Muskoka residents over 11 years old have included 241 fully vaccinated people, 24 partially vaccinated, and 215 unvaccinated people. Of those, 60 unvaccinated, fewer than five partially vaccinated, and 35 fully vaccinated people have been admitted to intensive care units.
In the last six months, 97 fully vaccinated people (at least two doses) and fewer than five partially vaccinated have died after contracting COVID. Over the same time period, 62 unvaccinated people have died after contracting COVID-19.
According to health unit monitoring, about 59 per cent of the region's ICU beds are full, and about 26 per cent of ventilator beds are currently occupied. Occupancy rates are highest for the region's acute care beds with 90 per cent of them currently full.
About 81 per cent of the over-five-year-old population has been fully vaccinated with two or more doses and 15 per cent of the same population group is unvaccinated. (Percentages now based on 2021 census population data.)
There are 18 active outbreaks in Simcoe-Muskoka, even with 18 on March 1, including seven in institutional settings (hospitals, long-term care, retirement homes), four in congregate settings (group homes, shelters), and seven at child care centres.
The health unit is no longer reporting case counts associated with individual outbreaks. A list of outbreaks is available on the health unit website here.
There is an active outbreak at Collingwood General and Marine Hospital declared last week in the surgical unit after three patients and one employee tested positive.
According to hospital reporting as of March 8, there are six COVID-positive inpatients at the hospital. This can include people admitted because of COVID and those hospitalized for other reasons who also test positive for COVID in addition to anyone receiving care at the hospital who contracted COVID through the outbreak.
Here's a look at the Ontario COVID update for March 8.
Grey-Bruce
On March 7, the Grey Bruce Health Unit reported two new COVID cases confirmed through limited testing.
Six people from the region are currently hospitalized because of COVID-19.
On average, over the last seven days, there have been 24 new cases per day.
Since the start of the pandemic, 35 Grey Bruce residents have died in the region and another 10 residents have died while receiving treatment outside the Grey Bruce region.
In Grey and Bruce Counties, about 79 per cent of the eligible population (five and older) has two or more doses of a vaccine. About 17 per cent of those eligible for a vaccine remain unvaccinated.
