The COVID-19 related death toll continues to rise with a Newmarket woman among eight new fatalities being reported by York Region.
An 87-year-old woman is Newmarket's 32nd death of the pandemic and the first resident to die with COVID-19 acquired in the outbreak at Renoir Retirement Residence, according to York Region spokesperson Patrick Casey.
As of Jan. 8, six residents and three caregivers have been confirmed with COVID-19 in the outbreak that began Dec. 30 at the 148-resident facility on Doak Lane operated by Revera.
York Region's COVID-19 death count is now 386, including a 37-year-old Markham man who passed away Dec. 30 at a private home with a local transmission case. He is the second York Region resident aged between 35 to 44 to die with COVID-19.
The majority of the region's COVID-19 fatalities — 90 per cent — are residents aged 65 and older.
Since the pandemic began, 206 long-term care residents have died with COVID-19, and 1,368 cases in residents, health-care workers and caregivers have been confirmed.
Fourteen long-term care outbreaks are currently active in York Region, including one at the Newmarket Health Centre, where three residents have died, and 25 residents and 28 health-care workers have been infected in the last 62 days.
Also being reported for Jan. 8, a 91-year-old Aurora women who passed away Jan. 6 at Southlake Regional Health Centre is the third resident death in the 15-day outbreak at Kingsway Place Retirement Residence, where nine residents and eight caregivers have been confirmed with COVID-19.
An 85-year-old Richmond Hill man who passed away Jan. 6 is the sixth patient to die in a Mackenzie Health outbreak — one of three currently active at the Richmond Hill hospital — that has exposed 16 patients and two health-care workers to the virus.
The death of an 86-year-old Richmond Hill woman who passed away Jan. 1 at Mackenzie Health with a local transmission case is also being reported today.
Further long-term care outbreak deaths include a 62-year-old Vaughan woman at Maple Health Centre, and an 86-year-old Vaughan woman following exposure at Villa Leonardo Gambin, both on Jan. 7.
The eighth fatality being reported is an 84-year-old woman who passed away Jan. 5 at Markham Stouffville Hospital with a case acquired through close contact.
