Region adds 106 new COVID cases over the weekend

A drastic increase in the number of new local COVID-19 cases over the weekend. Region of Waterloo Public Health reported 106 new cases on Monday, two of those were added to previous daily totals.

The overall total is now 20,304.

Health officials point out clusters of cases associated with households and/or social events in private settings are contributing to the increase, adding as was experienced in past waves, when community rates increase so do rates in school-aged children.

An estimated 126,000 local residents are not yet immunized or not yet eligible for immunization.

The region's Medical Officer of Health also points out the increase was not unexpected due to people having more social contact and spending more time indoors in the colder months.

“It is however a reminder that the Delta variant will spread rapidly when given the chance, and that getting vaccinated and continuing to practice public health precautions in our interactions with others is of prime importance.Through our case and contact investigations we are seeing clusters of cases amongst households, as well as from social events in private settings where precautions have been relaxed or are absent.” Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang said in a news release.

Nine people are receiving treatment for the virus in a local hospital — three are in intensive care.

The active caseload is 183.

88 per cent of residents 12 and over are now fully vaccinated. 91 per cent of eligible residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, which works out to over 920,000 doses.

Here are some other updates from the region's COVID summary dashboard: 

• 6,908 cases have screened positive for variants of concern – 3,127 are the Alpha variant (first found in U.K.) – 21 are linked to the Beta variant (first detected in South Africa) – 3,400 are linked to the Delta strain (first located in India) – 98 are linked to the Gamma variant (first found in Brazil) – 262 cases where a mutation has been detected 
• The local death toll remains at 305. No new deaths were reported Monday
• 19,813 resolved cases (98 per cent)
• Over 625,000 tests have been done

There are nine outbreaks in the region:

• NEW Southwood Secondary School (2 cases)
• NEW Chartwell Terrace on the Square retirement home (3 staff cases)
• NEW Sales/service – agriculture 1 (1 case)
• École élémentaire L'Harmonie – CS Viamonde (2 cases)
• Place of Worship 6 (2 cases)
• Cedar Creek Public School (2 cases)
• Retail 16 (2 cases)
• Construction 20 (3 cases)
• Galt Collegiate Institute (2 cases)

Meanwhile, the province reported 480 new cases Monday — 244 were unvaccinated.

The rest of the provincial COVID-19 totals are posted below:

• 85 per cent of those 12 and over have been fully vaccinated
• 603,711 total cases
• 589,711 resolved cases
• In hospital due to COVID – 81 unvaccinated – 14 partially vaccinated – 52 fully vaccinated. ICU data – 54 unvaccinated – 3 partially vaccinated – 15 fully vaccinated
• 9,990 deaths (2 new)
• 22,980 tests completed Sunday — Over 19.15 million since January 15, 2020