COVID-19 emergency brake applied in Thunder Bay, Simcoe-Muskoka regions
by News Staff and The Canadian Press
Posted Feb 26, 2021 4:39 pm EDT
Last Updated Feb 26, 2021 at 5:13 pm EDT Locked down until further notice reads a sign on a closed business in an Ontario COVID-19 hotspot. CITYNEWS
The Ford government has pulled the “emergency brake” in the Thunder Bay District Health Unit and Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit, moving both regions into the Grey-Lockdown zone following a spike in COVID-19 cases.
Local leaders in Thunder Bay have been calling for the government to take action amid a spike in cases while Simcoe Muskoka has also seen infections rise.
4:40 pm Ontario public health officials provided an update on the province’s variant cases today.
Dr. Barbara Yaffe, associate chief medical officer of health, said a total of seven per cent of screened COVID-19 cases are variants of concern. To date, Ontario has confirmed 319 cases of fast-spreading coronavirus variants in the province.
The vast majority – 309 – are the UK variant. There are nine cases of the South Africa variant and one confirmed case of the Brazilian variant.
The variants are spread across 15 public health units in Ontario. York Region has 49 variant cases, Toronto has 38 variant cases, Peel Region has 38 variant cases and Durham Region has 18.
Ontario Returning 27 Public Health Regions to Strengthened COVID-19 Response Framework
Province Extending Shutdown and Stay-at-Home Order in Regions at Highest Risk
February 12, 2021
(the Framework ). The four remaining public health regions, Toronto Public Health, Peel Public Health, York Region Public Health and North Bay Parry Sound District, will remain in the shutdown, and the Stay-at-Home order and all existing public health and workplace safety measures will continue to apply to these four public health regions. The health and safety of Ontarians remains our number one priority. While we are cautiously and gradually transitioning some regions out of shutdown, with the risk of new variants this is not a reopening or a return to normal, said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. Until vaccines are widely available, It remains critical that all individuals and families continue to adhere to public health measures and stay
Roberta Place couple scored high on love, low on the golf course
Beverley Moffatt resided at Roberta Place and husband Sonny Van Tassell would come to help care for her, but both contracted the virus and died within about 24 hours of each other; They were very sweet together
Feb 12, 2021 6:00 PM By: Shawn Gibson
If any solace can be taken from the death of a married couple associated with Roberta Place, it could be they left this world within 24 hours of each other after a half-century of love and travel.
The Barrie long-term care home on Essa Road has been in outbreak since Jan. 8 when it was declared by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. In total, 70 deaths have been attributed to the outbreak 66 confirmed and three considered probable, all residents. One essential caregiver associated with the 137-bed facility also died after contracting the virus.