88 new COVID-19 cases, 1 new death reported in Waterloo region

There were 88 new reported cases of COVID-19 in Waterloo region on Friday, along with one more death linked to the virus. 

That brings the total number of new cases in December to 1,241 and since March, to 4,827.

There were 519 active cases in the region on Friday with 36 people in hospital and 10 of those people in the intensive care unit.

Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, the region's medical officer of health, said case rates "remain high and we are at risk for further increases."

Earlier in the week, Wang said people needed to prepare for the possibility of a lockdown in the region. She said she spoke with the province's chief medical officer of health and said more restrictions are necessary.

"There aren't specific criteria for lockdown," Wang said Friday. "Given the increasing pressures on our health-care system ... I am advocating that there needs to be stronger measures in place to be able to start to slow the spread and reverse the trends."

There are 29 outbreaks and two significant ones in long-term care homes.

The outbreak at Cambridge Country Manor has risen to 47 cases in people living at the home, and 44 staff members have tested positive for the virus.

An outbreak at Village of Winston Park Retirement Home in Kitchener had 20 cases in people living at the home on Friday, 14 in people working there and one death  linked to the outbreak.

Regional testing partners have done more than 250,000 tests since March. Of the total number of cases in the region since March, 4,167 have been marked as resolved.

Ontario reported 2,290 cases of COVID-19 Friday morning, the fourth day with more than 2,000 new cases in the province. Another 40 deaths of people with the illness were also reported.

Regional officials announced Friday that early doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are expected in the region on Dec. 23. 

7 tickets issued

Seven tickets were issued between Dec. 10 and Dec. 16 in the region for violations of provincial and regional rules to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Four businesses were ticketed by Region of Waterloo Public Health for $880 each:

• Piper Arms Pub in Kitchener 
• Chicago Pub and Billiards in Kitchener 
• Pizza 'n' Pub in Cambridge 
• TownLine Barber Shop 

As well, one person was ticketed $240 by Grand River Transit security over refusal to wear a face covering in the Ainslie Terminal in Cambridge.

Kitchener bylaw ticketed the East African Cafe $880 and Waterloo bylaw ticketed an individual in a private residence.

New hospital outbreak

A new outbreak has been declared at Grand River Hospital on the 5North unit after two patients and two staff members tested positive for the virus.

This means admission to the unit is temporarily suspended as are in-person care partner visits.

The hospital said it is also still monitoring an active outbreak on 5South.

Outbreaks on the 5th floor of the hospital have impacted 11 patients and 17 staff members to date, the hospital said. There have also been fewer than five patient deaths related to the outbreaks. The hospital does not report exact numbers under five to protect patient confidentiality. 

29 active outbreaks

There were 29 active outbreaks in the region on Friday.

There were two at Grand River Hospital, two at St. Mary's General Hospital and one at Cambridge Memorial Hospital. Cambridge Memorial cancelled elective surgeries Friday. That does not include scheduled cancer surgeries or cases that are urgent and emergent.

Seven outbreaks were at long-term care or retirement homes. In five of the homes, there was a single case reported in a staff member. No one living at those homes has tested positive for the virus.

The outbreak at Cambridge Country Manor rose to 47 cases in people living at the home and 44 in staff.

An outbreak at Village of Winston Park Retirement Home in Kitchener had 20 cases in people living at the home, 14 in people working there and one death.

Other outbreaks include:

• Four at manufacturing workplaces: Two had eight cases each and two have four cases each.
• Two at independent living facilities: Two cases were at Waterloo Heights, one case at Sunnyside Supportive Housing.
• Two at congregate settings: Three cases were at one setting, a single case is at the other.
• Two at trades workplaces: One with eight cases, one with three cases.
• One at the University of Waterloo with two cases.
• One at a warehouse with 10 cases.
• One at a construction workplace with two cases.
• One at a food processing workplace with three cases.

There were also three outbreaks in schools in the region: There were two cases each at Monsignor Doyle Catholic Secondary School in Cambridge, Franklin Public School in Kitchener and Hillcrest Public School in Cambridge.