BARRIE, ONT. The Simcoe Muskoka health unit reports a dip in new COVID-19 cases, with 87 infections confirmed after one week of counts over 100. Simcoe County s positivity rate also dropped below the province s for the first time in over a month. With 250 new COVID-19 tests per 10,000 population, the health unit records its positivity rate fell to 5.3 per cent compared to Ontario s 7.9 per cent. Health officials report 43 residents are in the hospital with the virus. There have been no new deaths associated with COVID-19 since Monday. The drop in new cases comes as hospitals report record numbers of ICU admissions in April. Hospital officials urge residents to follow safety measures to prevent transmission of COVID-19.
Critically ill COVID patients moved out of Toronto hospitals to open beds, including those in Sudbury
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COVID-19 News: RVH staff burning out as more than 70 per cent of ICU fills with GTA patients
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BARRIE, ONT. The provincial government is adding sweeping new restrictions to stop what the Premier calls an inferno of COVID-19 cases. At midnight, outdoor recreation facilities, including playgrounds and golf courses, will be shut down. Outdoor gatherings will be prohibited except by members of the same household. Capacity at essential retailers, including big box stores, is being cut from 50 percent to 25 percent. Non-essential construction will be paused. Beginning Monday, houses of worship and attendance at weddings and funerals will be limited to 10 people. The province-wide stay-at-home order has been extended to May 21: the eve of Victoria Day holiday weekend. Solicitor General Sylvia Jones says police can stop citizens to ask where they re headed and for their home address.
BARRIE, ONT. York Region s top doctor is asking the province to open up AstraZeneca vaccinations to younger residents in hot spots where infection rates are through the roof. Right now, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends the shot only be administered to those 55 years of age and older. Some countries like the U.K. are using it for age 30 upwards. If Ontario wanted to be conservative, we could go to the same as the U.K. strategy, said Dr. Karim Kurji. Kurji notes Health Canada has approved the vaccine for use in adults 18 years of age and older.