1 new death reported in Waterloo region as COVID-19 cases surpass 19,000

Region of Waterloo Public Health reported one new death linked to COVID-19 and 20 new cases of the virus on Thursday.

The new death brings the overall toll throughout the course of the pandemic to 290.

Waterloo region's COVID-19 case count has climbed to a total of 19,008 with 18,543 marked as resolved.

There are currently 171 active cases, an increase of six over the previous day's total.

Eight of today's cases are variant-of-concern cases, for a total of 5,069 throughout the pandemic.

Hospitalizations declined by two over the last 24 hours. There are five people with COVID-19 in the region's three hospitals. Five people are in the intensive-care unit (ICU). People in the ICU may not be infectious with COVID-19 any longer, but do still require specialized care.

There are seven active outbreaks in the region as follows:

• One at Pluto Day Care with three cases.

• One at Rising Oaks Early Learning with two cases.

• One at a hospitality company with two cases.

• One at a hair salon with two cases. 

• One at Conestoga Lodge retirement home with eight cases: one in a staff member, seven in non-staff members.

• Two at congregate settings with three cases.

Ontario reported 865 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, with cases now having risen by almost 200 from the same day last week.

Of the 801 cases today with a known vaccination status:

• 540, or 67 per cent, were in unvaccinated people.
• 88, or 11 per cent, had a single dose.
• 173, or 22 per cent, had two doses.