Eight more people have suffered COVID-19-related deaths in Waterloo Region, raising the area death toll to 81, according to Waterloo Public Health.
The agency said Sunday all eight deaths involved residents of residential care homes in Kitchener, Ont., including four more at Forest Heights Long Term Care which raises the death toll at the home to 39.
There were two deaths at peoplecare AR Goudie in Kitchener where four residents have now suffered COVID-19 related deaths, while an eighth resident of Trinity Village and a second resident of Victoria Place have also died.
Another 19 people have tested positive for novel coronavirus raising the total in Waterloo Region to 801.
Out of the 801 positive tests, 488 (or 61 per cent) have been attributed to seniors’ homes.
Public Health now lists 173 cases contracted through community contact while the remainder have either been the result of close contact (103) or travel (37).
The community transmission category is a catch-all for anyone who is not linked to the other three categories.
A total of 345 people (43 per cent of all cases) have now recovered after testing positive for the virus.
There are now 13 outbreaks at retirement or long-term care homes as an employee of Golden Years Nursing Home in Cambridge has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.