Waterloo region in 'delicate' situation as COVID-19 case rates rise: Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang

The spread of the delta variant of COVID-19 has increased in the community and people need to assume they could come into contact with the virus "at any time," Waterloo region's medical officer of health says.

On Friday, the region reported 36 new COVID-19 cases.

"We continue to monitor our local situation closely," Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang said during a regional media briefing on Friday. "Our situation is delicate and it can change quickly if we let our guards down."

Wang said many of the new cases are among unvaccinated individuals, and because of that, she expects to see hospitalizations and admissions to the intensive care unit rise in the coming weeks.

"We are starting to see more outbreaks in various settings," she said.

As of Friday's update there were 13 active outbreaks in the region. There were five in schools:

• Cedar Creek Public School in Ayr with two cases.
• École élémentaire L'Harmonie in Waterloo with two cases.
• Southwood Secondary School in Cambridge with two cases.
• Glenview Park Secondary School in Cambridge with two cases over multiple cohorts.
• Preston Public School in Cambridge with two cases.

The other outbreaks were:

• A home childcare with five cases.
• A workplace with five cases.
• An agriculture sales and service workplace with four cases.
• A manufacturing workplace with three cases.
• Chartwell Terrace on the Square retirement home with three cases in staff members.
• Wilfrid Laurier University with two cases.
• A retail store with two cases.
• A congregate setting with one case.

The region's vaccination dashboard showed that as of Friday, 76.29 per cent of all people in Waterloo region had received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Officials reminded people that regional vaccine clinics welcome walk-in appointments for anyone needing a first dose.

Second and third doses are available by appointment once people are eligible for them.