70 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Waterloo region
433 active cases with 26 people in hospital and 10 of those in ICU
Region of Waterloo Public Health reported 70 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.
There are 433 active cases with 26 people currently in hospital and 10 of those people in the intensive care unit.
The total number of new cases in November is 1,133, which is more than a third of the 3,287 cases the region has recorded since March. Of those, 2,728 have been marked as resolved. There have been 124 deaths linked to the virus.
The region's testing partners have done more than 202,000 tests.
The province reported another 1,478 cases of COVID-19 and 21 more deaths linked to the illness on Thursday.
During a press conference, Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced Waterloo region schools will be able to access money through a $13.6 million fund to help pay for extra support for new teachers, custodians or purchase tablets and laptops for students.
He said Ontario's schools "remain safe" even as cases rise in communities across the province.
22 active outbreaks
There are currently 22 active outbreaks. Two are in long-term care or retirement homes.
The outbreak at Village Manor in St. Jacobs has risen to 28 cases and there has been one death. The assisted living facility is not considered a retirement home but rather a congregate setting. The home appealed an order issued by the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority to have its licence revoked earlier this year, then ceased operating as a retirement home as defined in the Retirement Homes Act.
St. Mary's General Hospital has been ordered to take over management of Village Manor.
The other outbreaks are:
- Two in congregate settings, one with two cases and one with one case.
- Cambridge Memorial Hospital's wing B, level 4 medicine unit.
- One at a food processing workplace with five cases.
- Four at food and beverage services (such as restaurants): Two with four cases each, one with three cases and one with two cases.
- Four at manufacturing workplaces: Three with three cases and one with two cases.
- One related to a racquet sport facility with 22 cases.
- One related to a dance class with two cases.
- One related to hockey with eight cases.
- One in an office setting with two cases.
Also among the active outbreaks are three at schools. There's a new outbreak at St. Bernadette Catholic Elementary School in Kitchener with two cases.
There is also one outbreak at Centennial Public School in Waterloo with three cases and one at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Elementary School in Kitchener with two cases.