BARRIE, ONT. One day after reporting the highest number of COVID-19 cases from a weekend, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) posted 85 new cases Tuesday. Confirmed cases are listed in Barrie, Bradford, Collingwood, Clearview, Essa, Innisfil, Midland, New Tecumseth, Orillia, Oro-Medonte, Severn, Springwater, Tiny, and Wasaga Beach. One case was reported in the Muskoka area in Gravenhurst. Two locations are pending. Over the weekend, health officials recorded nearly 400 positive tests, an alarmingly high number linked to Easter holiday gatherings. The City of Barrie reports bylaw officers received nearly 30 complaints about large gatherings the week of April 3, following the Easter long weekend.
BARRIE, ONT. Simcoe Muskoka s medical officer of health agrees the province made the right decision closing in-person learning for students for the foreseeable future as COVID-19 cases continue to surge across Ontario. On Monday, Premier Doug Ford announced Ontario s students would shift to remote learning following the spring break. Ford said the move was precautionary as COVID-19 spreads like wildfire, adding, schools are safe, but the province must do everything possible to bring infections down during the critical next few weeks. Simcoe Muskoka s top doctor, Dr. Charles Gardner, said that while in-class learning is vital to students mental health, he s not so sure the province will reopen schools for the remainder of the academic year. I truly hope so because of the benefits to children s health and mental health of being in school. I would truly hope we are able to achieve it, but I don t think we can guarantee it.
BARRIE, ONT. Public health reports a significant jump in the number of COVID-19 cases Thursday in Simcoe Muskoka, with 123 confirmed, plus two more virus-related deaths. According to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU), a man and woman over the age of 65, both from Simcoe County, died from complications of the virus, bringing the region s total death count to 207. Currently, there are 720 active infections, including 39 hospitalizations. The SMDHU has three school outbreaks listed at W.H. Day Public School and Holy Trinity Catholic High School, both in Bradford, and Good Shepherd Catholic School in Barrie. The outbreak at Boyne River Public School in Alliston was declared over on Wednesday.
BARRIE, ONT. Schools across Simcoe Muskoka will remain open for in-class learning during the province-wide stay-at-home order that takes effect Thursday at 12:01 am. On Wednesday, Education Minister Stephen Lecce told CP24 the stay-at-home order would not require any schools to close. It will not involve any closures of schools. It was our promise to keep schools open and to keep them safe. During his announcement Wednesday afternoon, Premier Doug Ford said education workers in COVID-19 hot spots would have access to vaccines starting next week. Whether that will include Simcoe Muskoka has yet to be revealed. In a statement to CTV News regarding the 28-day stay-at-home order, the Catholic school board s communications manager, Pauline Stevenson, said board chairs and directors would be meeting with the Ministry of Education in hopes of finding out details. Until we have that context from the ministry, it would be premature for us to comment about the province s repo
BARRIE, ONT. COVID-19 testing clinics across Simcoe Muskoka experienced an influx of patients over the Easter long weekend, resulting in 371 confirmed cases from Friday to Monday. Barrie reported 126 positive tests, Bradford had 71, New Tecumseth had 58, and Innisfil had 37. The remaining infections are listed in Adjala-Tosorontio, Essa, Clearview, Collingwood, Springwater, Oro-Medonte, Tay, Wasaga Beach, Tiny, Midland, Orillia, Severn, and Penetanguishene. Muskoka had eight cases total. They are listed in Muskoka Lakes, Bracebridge, Huntsville and Lake of Bays. The health unit also reports three Simcoe County men over 65 passed away from complications after contracting COVID-19. To date, 203 residents have died with the virus, including 12 last month.