Today, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) reported eight new COVID-19 cases in Huntsville and six in Lake of Bays. In other Muskoka municipalities, there were a total of 11 new cases reported—seven in Bracebridge, one in Muskoka Lakes, one in Gravenhurst, and two in Georgian Bay. The cases were all reported to the health unit between April 8 and 11.
The cases, by date reported to the health unit, are as follows:
Huntsville
April 11 – 0-17 year-old male, under investigation
April 10 – 18-34 year-old female, under investigation
April 9 – 18-34 year-old female, under investigation
April 9 – 18-34 year-old female, under investigation
April 9 – 18-34 year-old male, under investigation
April 9 – 45-64 year-old female, under investigation
April 8 – 0-17 year-old male, outbreak-related
April 8 – 18-34 year-old female, community acquired
Lake of Bays
April 10 – 0-17 year-old male, close contact
April 10 – 18-34 year-old female, close contact
April 10 – 45-64 year-old female, under investigation
April 9 – 0-17 year-old female, community acquired
April 9 – 45-64 year-old male, close contact
April 9 – 45-64 year-old male, under investigation
Huntsville’s overall case count to date is 101, with 11 currently active. Lake of Bays has had 17 cases to date, eight of them currently active. None of the cases are in hospital. Two people have died from the disease in Huntsville, as well as a third person in Muskoka Lakes.
As of April 9, within Muskoka there have been 29 cases confirmed as the UK B.1.1.7 variant, and an additional 17 that have screened positive for a variant of concern. (Variant testing is a two-step process with the screening occurring first, followed by whole genome sequencing upon positive screening results. Delays in reporting of up to 10 days are possible for the initial screening, while WGS can take between three and six weeks depending on volume and laboratory capacity, according to the health unit.)
There have been a total of 300 cases reported in Muskoka to date (37 of them currently active, one of which is in hospital) and 8,470 in Simcoe County (1,137 active). A total of 210 people in Simcoe Muskoka have died from COVID-19. (For a full list of Huntsville and Lake of Bays cases to date, and other COVID-19 updates for the area, visit our COVID-19 page.)
For more COVID-19 information from the health unit, visit simcoemuskokahealth.org.
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This virus is tricky. It is extremely well adapted to spread in that you don’t have to look or feel sick to have it and by the time you do feel sick you have infected maybe dozens of your friends.
Why is it that city visitors seem to feel that when they cross into Muskoka, they are suddenly safe? These visits are the problem. Either stay at your cottage or stay in your city home, please do not spend three days a week in each and travel back and forth, this is a recipe for problems that we could easily prevent.
I think the case counts for Lake of Bays this last report are the highest for any one week since the virus started spreading in Canada. With vaccinations and precautions this should not be the case so we need to take a look at ourselves and our actions. We are not doing a good enough job here.
Reminds me of the old saying, “The planet earth is the insane asylum for the universe”.
The animals that we call inferior are more intelligent than most humans.
We will survive, somehow, we always do!
When are we going focus on full recoveries instead of alarming people?
Lockdowns and isolation fallout much harsher and recovery rate in many cases nil or years.
Em, It’s not a difficult concept to understand but still family and friends choose to visit their family and friends here in Muskoka, taking a ‘calculated risk.’ And, family and friends travel outside of Muskoka to visit family and friends – again, taking a ‘calculated risk.’ That term, ‘calculated risk’ is fast becoming meaningless. As the medical community profess: Assume that everyone you come in contact with has Covid or it’s more deadly variant. I appreciate that it’s difficult not seeing your family and friends at will. If you must visit with family/friends ensure that all are doing so safely, following directives. Further, don’t assume that having had a vaccination will protect you; that’s another discussion.
Oops, I misread the numbers … it’s not 11 new cases, but a whopping 25 new cases in Muskoka: 14 in Huntsville and Lake of Bays, and 11 more in the rest of Muskoka. Wow. It leaves me shaking my head.
C’mon, people! Why is this so hard? 11 more cases in Muskoka?!?! Stay home. Stay local. Curbside pickup. No indoor gatherings. No large gatherings. Wear a mask. C’mon! It is not difficult. And yet … over Christmas weekend, and again over Easter weekend, some of my neighbours still had family and friends come for long-weekend visits from areas outside Muskoka. I just don’t get it. I really don’t.