The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit reported seven deaths and 11 new hospitalizations related to COVID in the latest update published Feb. 1.
The deaths reported were all Simcoe County residents, including a man between 45 and 64 years old, two men between 65 and 79 years old, three men over 79 years old, and a woman over 79 years old. Two of the cases were linked to outbreaks and the rest were considered sporadic. They died between Jan. 20 and Jan. 30.
The health unit reported 10 COVID-related deaths in all of December 2021. So far, there have been 60 deaths in the region during the month of January 2022.
There are at least 55 people from the region hospitalized because of COVID-19, which includes 11 new hospitalizations since yesterday.
Since July 18, 2021, hospitalizations of Simcoe-Muskoka residents over 12 years old have included 157 fully vaccinated people, 18 partially vaccinated, and 180 unvaccinated people over 11 years old. Of those, 46 unvaccinated, fewer than five partially vaccinated, and 21 fully vaccinated people have been admitted to intensive care units.
Available capacity at the region's hospitals shows almost 83 per cent of acute care unit beds occupied, 52 per cent of ventilator beds, and nearly 62 per cent of intensive care unit beds occupied.
In the last six months, 51 fully vaccinated people (at least two doses) and fewer than five partially vaccinated have died after contracting COVID. Over the same time period, 41 unvaccinated people have died after contracting COVID-19.
While provincial testing guidelines prioritize testing for Indigenous people, hospitalized patients and people living and working in high-risk congregate care settings, the health unit is reporting 140 new cases today.
Since the start of the pandemic, the local health unit has confirmed 31,837 cases of COVID-19 with 27,778 of those cases recovered and 351 cases ending in death.
About 14 per cent of the region's population over five years old is unvaccinated, and 46 per cent has three doses of a vaccine against COVID. Another 36 per cent of the population has two doses and about five per cent has one dose.
There are 64 active outbreaks in Simcoe-Muskoka, down from 73 on Friday, including 30 in institutional settings (hospitals, long-term care, retirement homes), 11 in congregate settings (group homes, shelters), and 23 at child care centres.
There is one outbreak still active in Collingwood long-term care/retirement homes.
- Balmoral Retirement Home
- one outbreak declared Jan. 17 with seven resident cases and seven staff cases
Collingwood General and Marine Hospital is reporting, as of Feb. 1, there are seven 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.
Grey-Bruce
On Feb. 1, the Grey Bruce Health Unit reported 17 new COVID cases confirmed through limited testing, with 14 people from the region currently hospitalized.
Since the start of the pandemic, 25 Grey Bruce residents have died in the region and another nine residents have died while receiving treatment outside the Grey Bruce region.
As of Feb. 1, lab testing confirmed 5,530 cases in Grey Bruce since the start of the pandemic with 156 active cases remaining and 5,335 recoveries.
There are seven long-term care/retirement homes with active COVID outbreaks in the region including:
- Rockwood Terrace Long Term Care – Durham
- Errinrung Retirement Home - Thornbury
- Parkview Manor – Chesley
- Season’s Owen Sound
- Lee Manor in Owen Sound
- Kelso Pines Retirement Home in Owen Sound
- Maple Court Retirement Home in Walkerton.
In Grey and Bruce Counties, about 50 per cent of the eligible population has received three or more doses of a COVID vaccine, and another 28 per cent of the eligible population has two doses of a vaccine. About 18 per cent of those eligible for a vaccine remain unvaccinated in the region.