BARRIE, ONT. -- The Simcoe Muskoka health unit reports 11 new UK B.1.1.7 variant cases Thursday. An additional 382 had screened positive for a variant of concern (VoC) - 15 more than the day prior. The individuals who screened positive for a VoC will need further testing to confirm. The variant case numbers were the driving point behind the region's chief medical officer of health advising the province to return Simcoe Muskoka to a lockdown last week. Dr. Charles Gardner had said he believed tightening restrictions would help reduce transmission of the highly contagious virus. To date, 216 local individuals have tested positive for the UK B.1.1.7 variant. The health unit has not provided details on the locations of those cases. There are currently seven active UK B.1.1.7 cases in Simcoe Muskoka.