Hundreds of Simcoe Muskoka residents test positive for COVID since Christmas Eve

Local cases, test positivity rates soar CTV's Kraig Krause looks at the situation and Simcoe Muskoka and York Region.

Barrie — Nearly 2,000 more people in Simcoe Muskoka have had a test come back positive for COVID-19 as the region's confirmed case count surges past 20,000 total cases since the start of the pandemic.

On Wednesday, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit confirmed 1,709 people had contracted the virus in its first reported data release since Christmas Eve, averaging about 425.5 cases per day.

Most of the four-day total was in southern Simcoe County, with 598 cases in Barrie, followed by Bradford West-Gwillimbury (149), Innisfil (138), and New Tecumseth (129).

Since the Omicron variant was first detected, more than 111 cases of the highly contagious variant of concern have been confirmed in Simcoe Muskoka according to the data from the health unit.

More than 1,200 cases have screened positive for a VOC. However, those tests are still awaiting further confirmation.

The health unit also confirmed the region’s 287th virus-related death after a man over the age of 80 living in Simcoe County died on December 23.

Four more people were admitted to the hospital since Friday, bringing the total to 26, while 447 people have since recovered from the virus during that same timeframe.

The medical officer of health, Dr. Charles Garner, is expected to address the public with his weekly report on Friday.