2nd resident of Kitchener retirement home dies from COVID-19

A second resident at Highview Residences, a retirement home in Kitchener, died from COVID-19 on Monday.

“We just had the chance to celebrate his 91^st birthday together on Friday. We are grieving right along with the family,” Highview COO Joy Birch said in a statement.

The news comes after another resident at the Highview Residences died over the weekend after contracting the novel coronavirus.

There are seven other residents and a staff member at the home which specializes in Alzheimer’s care that have tested positive for the disease.

All of the infections have occurred at one of the two houses which the company has at its Kitchener location.

The company says it is working closely with Waterloo Public Health to ensure they are following heightened infection prevention and control guidelines.

There have now been four deaths in the region attributed to the COVID-19.

The numbers continue to grow at among long-term care and retirement facilities in Waterloo Region.

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Public Health says 15 residents and three staff members have now tested positive for COVID-19 at Forest Heights Rivera, a long-term care home in Kitchener.

In addition, the first case has been recorded at Millwood Manor, a retirement home in Kitchener.

There are now seven long-term care and retirement facilities in Waterloo Region with patients or staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19.

The number of people in the area who have tested positive for the disease swelled to 207 on Tuesday, an increase of 22.

One positive note in the daily update was that 50 people who were infected by the disease have now been cleared. This total increased by 14.