Nearly 100 new COVID-19 cases reported in Waterloo Region, most since January

Waterloo Public Health reported 98 new positive tests for the coronavirus on Monday, lifting the total number of COVID-19 cases the region has seen to 12,704.

Monday’s number is the highest the agency has in a single 24-hour period since Jan. 22, when there were 119 new cases announced.

Read more: COVID-19 vaccine texts may have been blocked for Telus customers in Waterloo Region

This pushes the rolling seven-day average number of new cases to 73.7.

Waterloo Public Health reported a new COVID-19-related death on Monday, pushing the death toll in the area up to 245, including three this month.

“Today we are reporting one death in our community where COVID-19 was a contributing factor,”; Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang stated. “The individual was a female in her 60s.

“I wish to express my deep sympathy to the family and loved ones of the individual.”;

Another 48 people were also cleared of the virus as the number of resolved cases now sits at 11,918.

The number of active cases jumps 527 while the number of people in hospital (24) and intensive care (10) also took several steps in the wrong direction.

There was a second COVID-19 outbreak reported at the Elite Daycare in Cambridge, with one having already been underway since April 5.

There are now 16 active outbreaks in the area including three at daycares and three at schools.

There have now been 116,528 COVID-19 vaccinations given in the region, according to the vaccine distribution task force. This is 9,040 more than what was reported on Friday.

The agency says 17.54 per cent of the area’s residents have now received at least one dose of the vaccine.

A total of 15,596 (or 2.65 per cent of Waterloo’s population) have now received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Read more: Ontario reports 4,401 COVID-19 cases, another record of ICU patients

Elsewhere, the province reported 4,401 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, with three quarters of those coming from the GTA and Ottawa.

According to Monday’s provincial report, 1,282 cases were recorded in Toronto, 772 in Peel Region, 564 in York Region, 339 in Ottawa, 224 in Durham Region and 177 in Halton Region

The death toll in the province has risen to 7,567 as 15 more deaths were recorded.