2-week high of 69 COVID-19 cases reported Thursday in Waterloo region

Waterloo region saw a two-week high of 69 new cases of COVID-19 reported by public health on Thursday.

The last time the region saw a day with cases in the 60s was Feb. 11, when there were 68. The highest single-day case count for the month was on Feb. 6 when there were 72 cases reported.

The 69 cases brought the total number of people diagnosed with COVID-19 in February to 1,102 and since last March to 10,537. Of those, 9,950 cases have been marked as resolved.

Public health also reported the death of a man in his 90s who had contracted the virus. There have been 223 COVID-related deaths in the region since the pandemic began.

Active cases rose from 316 on Wednesday to 357 on Thursday.

There were six more people with COVID-19 symptoms admitted to hospital between Wednesday and Thursday, bringing the total number of people in hospital to 32 with seven people in the intensive care unit, up from five the day before.

Ontario reported 1,138 cases of COVID-19 on Thursday as the number of active infections province-wide increased for the first time in more than six weeks.

21 active outbreaks

There are 21 active outbreaks in Waterloo region including nine at long-term care and retirement homes.

There are two at local schools: One at Monsignor Doyle Catholic Secondary School in Cambridge with two cases and one at Howard Robertson Public School in Kitchener with two cases.

Public health said the outbreak at Monsignor Doyle Catholic Secondary School is "related to a variant of concern." Along with the two cases listed on the region's dashboard, public health has found three other cases within the cohort of students who are self-isolating at home.

"Public health is treating every single case of COVID-19 as a potential variant of concern before a variant is identified," the region's medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang said in an emailed statement.

Both cases at Howard Robertson Public School are in students and they are in the same cohort. Their class, along with three additional staff members, have been sent home to isolate, the Waterloo Region District School Board says on its website. The school remains open.

The other outbreaks include:

• Three in congregate settings: One with 116 cases over multiple locations, one with 29 cases and one with 21 cases.
• Two in hospitals: One at St. Mary's General Hospital and one at Grand River Hospital.
• One at Court at Laurelwood Retirement Residence, an independent living facility, with two cases in people living there and two cases in people working there.
• Two at construction workplaces: One with three cases and one with two cases.
• One at a food processor with five cases.
• One at a manufacturing workplace with four cases.

Pre-registration for vaccine

The region announced an online and phone booking system is now in place for people in high-priority groups, including Indigenous adults and people over 80.

As well, the region is seeking volunteers to help at vaccination clinics in non-medical roles. The region indicated it is looking for clinic greeters, people to guide others through the clinic, equipment/supply runners and parking lot attendants.

Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and are asked to commit to one shift per week for a minimum of three months.