Waterloo region 'definitely on the down trend' of 2nd wave of COVID-19: Dr. Wang

Waterloo region is "definitely on the down trend" of second wave of COVID-19, says Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, the region's medical officer of health.

"If we were to go up again, it wouldn't be part of the second wave, it would be part of a third wave, which we're trying to all work together to avoid," Wang said Friday during a COVID-19 media briefing.

"We have passed the peak of our second wave."

Region of Waterloo Public Health reported 38 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday. There was also one death of a person with the illness.

The new cases bring the total number of cases this month to 826, the fourth highest case count in a single month behind January (3,356), December (2,313) and November (1,432).

There are 329 active cases with 20 people in hospital and eight of those people in the intensive care unit.

22 active outbreaks

There are 22 active outbreaks in Waterloo region, 10 at long-term care and retirement homes.

The other outbreaks are:

• Four in congregate settings: One with 98 cases over multiple locations, one with 20 cases and two with a single case each.
• Two at St. Mary's General Hospital (3rd floor and 5th floor).
• One at Court at Laurelwood Retirement Residence, considered an independent living facility, with one case in a person living there.
• One at a Waterloo Region District School Board program with two cases.
• One at a manufacturing workplace with four cases.
• One at a warehouse with three cases.
• One at a construction workplace with three cases.
• One at a dental officer with three cases.

One other outbreak that was not on the region's dashboard on Friday was at Grand River Hospital, where an outbreak has been declared in 5North, part of its stroke program. The outbreak was expanded Friday afternoon to include 5South, which is part of the hospital's medicine program

"The hospital is actively investigating the situation and monitoring with support from public health," the hospital said in a release. "All affected patients and staff are being contacted."