Kitchener-Waterloo

Waterloo region's universities, college gather up supplies to donate to healthcare workers

People in Waterloo region cannot gather in groups of more than five people now and area universities and Conestoga College are donating medical supplies from labs and classrooms to healthcare workers.

'It's uplifting to see some of the efforts being made to help out across campus,' @WaterlooSci says

A man takes a photo of graffiti in Vancouver. People in Waterloo region and across Ontario are being told they cannot gather in groups of five people or more except in certain circumstances. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

People in Waterloo region, along with people across the province, are being told to avoid gathering in groups of five or more.

The province announced the new order Saturday night as a way to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

There have been 69 confirmed or presumptive cases of COVID-19 in Waterloo region, although, acting medical officer of health Hsiu-Li Wang has said public health is not testing everyone. Currently, healthcare workers and hospital patients are the priority when it comes to COVID-19 testing.

As of Sunday morning, 11 people were in hospital.

There is also one case that has since been marked as resolved, meaning the patient has received two negative tests in a row for COVID-19 after previously having had the virus. 

Region of Waterloo Public Health is expected to give its next update on Monday morning.

Universities, college donate supplies

Waterloo region's universities and college are donating items to local hospitals to help healthcare workers deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The science faculty at the University of Waterloo went through classrooms and labs to find personal protective equipment to donate to local hospitals.

"While we may be facing uncertain times, it's uplifting to see some of the efforts being made to help out across campus," a person said on the @WaterlooSci Twitter account.

Conestoga College also gathered equipment to donate including N95 masks, gloves and protective equipment. 

The college also has ventilators, beds, stretchers, mattresses and other equipment they use for students to learn hands-on skills that will be donated. 

Ayr-based company Stage Door Transportation has offered to move the equipment for the college, the school said.

Conestoga president John Tibbits said in a release that the school is happy to be "sharing our resources to protect front-line workers and provide additional capacity for hospitals." 

The University of Guelph is also going through labs to find equipment to donate. The school recently delivered 10,000 N95 masks to Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health.

The school says it's also collecting disinfectant wipes, nitrile gloves, hand sanitizer, surgical masks and isolation gowns while the Ontario Veterinary College will donate ventilator equipment.

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