BARRIE, ONT. The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) reports 56 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, for a total of 322 so far this week. There are 942 active cases across the region, with 29 infected people in hospitals, a 35 per cent increase over the holiday period. ICU bed occupancy across Simcoe Muskoka sits at 67 per cent. We have resources that are stretched now, says Collingwood General and Marine Hospital s Dr. Michael Lisi. We had to open up our alternate health facility just to keep up with demand for our beds. We are particularly concerned about the number of new cases being diagnosed through our COVID assessment centre in the community because every increase in those numbers is going to result in more hospital and ICU admissions in January.