'Dramatically reduce' social interactions or region 'will spiral into a lockdown': Dr. Wang

People in Waterloo region must "dramatically reduce" their social interactions, Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang says.

"The situation in Waterloo region is serious. The level of spread in our community continues to reach new highs," Wang, the region's medical officer of health, said during a media briefing Friday morning.

"If we do nothing, if as a community we do not aggressively reduce our social interactions, we will spiral into a lockdown."

The warning comes as the region has reported the highest case numbers yet in the region this week with 78 on Wednesday, 70 on Thursday and 75 on Friday.

Wang was blunt in talking about the rising case numbers.

"It will get worse before it gets better," Wang said, noting measures under the province "red zone" and that she has taken, including a section 22 order to limit the number of people in malls and retail stores, are  difficult but "absolutely necessary."

"Residents should consider that COVID-19 is broadly spreading in our community right now," Wang said, noting it is "necessary for all of us in Waterloo region to dramatically reduce our social interactions, our non-essential social interactions, to help bring the spread of COVID-19 under control."

75 new cases

The region reported 75 new cases Friday with 460 active cases, 28 people in hospital and eight people in the intensive care unit.

That brings the total number of cases in November to 1,206 and since March to 3,362. Of those, 2,776 have been marked as resolved. There have been no new COVID-related deaths and that number remained at 124.

There are also 23 active outbreaks in the region including one at Village Manor in St. Jacobs where there are 20 cases in the people living there, eight cases in staff and one person has died.

Self-isolate and create contact lists

Wang said the rapidly rising number of cases in the community, paired with the number of close contacts people have, is leading to difficulties with case and contact management.

"We have been challenged to reach positive cases within 24 hours over the past week. The percentage of cases we reach within 24 hours … averaged around 50 per cent in the last week," Wang said.

Public health is redeploying staff members and considering automated processes to help with contact tracing, but she noted this means other areas of public health, like responding to inquiries from residents, are being impacted.

While new contact tracers have been hired, they just started orientation and training on Thursday, so it will take time to get them up to speed.

Wang said because many people will know about a positive test result before public health can reach them, they can start reaching out to their own close contacts or take other measures to protect others.

"If you are positive, continue self-isolating. If you are living with others, your household members should also immediately self isolate and seek testing," she said.

If in addition to household members, people have had close contact with others - that is that they've been within six feet without masks for 15 minutes or more - and it's within 48 hours of having developed symptoms, Wang recommends reaching out to those people, too.

"Tell these other close contacts to self isolate and get tested or prepare a list of these contacts for when public health calls. Please take these actions while waiting for a call from public health and even before you get a test result, please follow the instructions provided to you by the testing centre," Wang said.

'Busy week' for enforcement

In an enforcement update, Regional Chair Karen Redman said it was a "busy week" in the region.

On Nov. 20, bylaw officers in Kitchener issued a ticket to Vita Lounge and Bistro for failing to restrict the number of people inside the restaurant and have enough room for physical distancing. The ticket is for $880.

Regional bylaw also issued two tickets to people under the face covering bylaw of $200 each. The two individuals were ticketed in the lobby of an apartment building.

Waterloo bylaw officers also issued an $880 ticket to a person in a private residence for exceeding gathering limits.

The province has provided additional inspectors to the region and over the last week, Redman says they performed 346 inspections and found 73% compliance with Reopening of Ontario Act. Much of the non-compliance was due to people having not made changes for being in the "red zone," Redman said.

There were 4 tickets issued: one to a sport and recreation business and three to employers for observations the inspectors made in employee areas.

Redman says the officers will remain in the region over the weekend and will continue enforcement efforts.

23 active outbreaks

There are 23 active outbreaks in the region. Two are long-term care or retirement homes.

The outbreak at Village Manor in St. Jacobs sits at 28 cases and there has been one death. The assisted living facility is not considered a retirement home. 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.

A new outbreak was declared in the 5S medicine unit of Grand River Hospital.

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 nine cases.
• Three at food and beverage services (such as restaurants): One 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 23 cases.
• One related to a dance class with two cases.
• One related to hockey with nine cases.
• One in an office setting with two cases.
• One at a construction workplace with two cases.

Also among the active outbreaks are three at schools: One outbreak at St. Bernadette Catholic Elementary School in Kitchener with two cases, one outbreak at Centennial Public School in Waterloo with three cases and one at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Elementary School in Kitchener with two cases.