‘Hopeful we have peaked’: No new COVID-19 deaths reported Oct. 7 at Simcoe Manor in Beeton, but case count still climbing

Two more residents have tested positive for COVID-19 at Simcoe Manor in Beeton, but no new deaths have been reported.

In an update provided Oct. 7, the County of Simcoe said 27 residents have tested positive for the virus, an increase of three from the 24 cases reported the previous day.

All residents were tested Oct. 2 when the outbreak was declared, and most of the results for the home’s 120 residents have been received. Ninety of them came back negative and the results of four tests are still pending.

Three residents have died so far from the virus, including two on the weekend and another earlier this week.

Seven staff have also been infected, and this number remains unchanged over the previous day.

“We are hopeful, with the vast majority of our test results now being received, that this will give us an indication of the COVID exposure,” said Jane Sinclair, the county’s general manager of health and emergency services. “Moving forward, we are hopeful we have peaked and are more stable of our outbreak status.”

All of the staff were tested Oct. 5. They have been tested once every two weeks over the course of the pandemic. Another mass testing will take place again, but Sinclair didn’t say if it would happen before the next scheduled date, which would be around Oct. 19.

She said the home is working with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit to determine the testing requirements for residents, but individual testing will be done if needed.

“If any resident develops any sign or symptom, we will automatically test them at that time immediately,” she said.

Eighteen of the residents are asymptomatic, and while Sinclair didn’t provide specifics on the residents who are experiencing symptoms, she said all of them are being cared for at the home.

“There’s a range of response to COVID,” she said. “As we’ve seen in the general population, individuals tend to respond differently.”

Sinclair talked again about all the measures that are in place to prevent further spread, such as enhanced cleaning, personal protective equipment requirements, and cohorting of staff.

“We have been very, very active in our prevention strategies, and we feel this indicates a positive sign for us that our steps are in fact working,” she said.