Big drop in new COVID-19 cases reported in Waterloo region Tuesday

Waterloo region saw a significant drop in the number of new COVID-19 cases reported Tuesday.

Region of Waterloo Public Health reported just 12 cases, which was well below numbers for the past month when daily case numbers have fluctuated between 35 and 70.

The region reported 318 active cases. There were no new deaths reported Tuesday.

The number of people in the region's three hospitals rose by two to 48 with half of those people in the intensive care unit.

The number of active outbreaks also rose by three to 21.

The region remains in Step One of the province's three-step reopening. Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, the region's medical officer of health, is expected to discuss whether the region should move into Step Two on Tuesday afternoon during a board of health meeting.

Hockey hub to open Thursday

The region is prepping a new "hockey hub" vaccination clinic and officials say there will be 20,000 additional appointments for people who need their first and second dose of the vaccine in the coming weeks.

The hockey hub vaccination clinic was developed by Grey Bruce Public Health in partnership with Bruce Power and sees a person walk in and sit in a seat right away, staff come to the person to give the vaccine, and then the person waits in that seat until it's time to leave.

The Region of Waterloo will work with Bruce Power to set up the clinic at Bingemans in Kitchener. It's anticipated the clinic will open on Thursday and the first two days will be a trial run, administering shots to people 18 years of age and up with Moderna being offered. First dose walk-ins are permitted.

Starting on the weekend, people 12 years of age and up will be allowed to book appointments at the site or walk-in for first doses.

The hockey hub comes after 1,200 doses were given at a drive-thru clinic at Bingemans on Sunday.

Regional Chair Karen Redman says she attended the drive-thru clinic and spoke to some people getting their first doses. She heard from one new mother who said the other clinics just weren't as convenient as the drive-thru and Redman says that's why it's important the region diversifies how it distributes doses.

"We've tried to do everything we can to increase capacity now that we have vaccine and the roll out is working," Redman said in an interview. 

"Everybody is looking forward to Step 2 and I think Step 3 after that," she said. "The community is stepping up as we asked them to and all that bodes well for moving forward to a more open economy and a summer that we all deserve."

Young people getting shots

Numbers on the regional vaccination dashboard shows young people between the ages of 18 and 29 are stepping up to get the first dose.

The numbers show 79 per cent of people in that age range have received their first dose of the vaccine, surpassing people aged 30 to 39, 40 to 49 and 50 to 59, despite having access to the vaccine later than those other age ranges.

The dashboard shows 63 per cent of youth between the ages of 12 and 18 have received their first dose.

In total, 79.5 per cent of people 18 and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while 43 per cent are fully vaccinated.

The region says it anticipates reaching the milestone of 80 per cent of people having received a first dose later this week.

Long-term care and retirement homes in outbreak

There are two long-term care homes and three retirement homes in outbreak in Waterloo region.

The two local long-term care homes in outbreak are:

• Columbia Forest in Waterloo, operated by Revera Living, with a total of two cases in people living there.
• The Village at Winston Park in Kitchener, operated by Schlegel Villages, with a total of 21 cases: 14 in people living there and seven in staff. One death has been associated with this outbreak.

In an update on its website Monday, Schlegel Villages said staff at Winston Park "continues to monitor everyone closely and all testing results conducted [Sunday] have returned negative."

As of Tuesday, the province listed three long-term care homes in outbreak: One in Sarnia, one in Burlington and Winston Park in Kitchener. Columbia Forest in Waterloo was not yet on the provincial website.

The three retirement homes in outbreak in Waterloo region are:

• Zora Srpski Dom Retirement Home in Kitchener with 11 cases: Eight in residents, three in staff.
• Marian Residence Retirement Home in Cambridge with six cases: two in residents, four in staff. There is one death association with this outbreak.
• Highland Place Retirement Home in Kitchener with two cases: one each in a resident and staff member.

Other outbreaks

There were 21 active outbreaks. Along with the five in long-term care and retirement homes, the other outbreaks were:

• Workplaces: Eight.
• Hospitals: Five.
• Congregate settings: Two.
• Independent living facility: One.