Waterloo Region reports 4 more coronavirus deaths, total rises to 94

Eleven more people in Waterloo Region have tested positive for the novel coronavirus raising the total number of confirmed cases to 871, Public Health announced Wednesday.

The agency says that four more people have suffered COVID-19 related deaths, raising the death toll to 94.

Eighteen more people have been cleared of the virus pushing the total number to 395.

All four of the deaths announced Wednesday involved residents at long-term care or retirements homes in Kitchener raising the total number of deaths in those settings to 77.

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Two more residents of Forest Heights Long-Term Care have died as they have now seen 44 residents suffer COVID-19-related deaths.

A 3rd resident of Lanark Heights and third residents of Victoria Place also suffered COVID-19-related deaths.

The outbreak is now over at Stirling Heights Long-Term Care Home but 14 other residential homes remain under outbreak.

Out of the 871 positive tests, 518 (or 59 per cent) have been attributed to seniors’ homes.

Public Health now lists 190 cases contracted through community contact while the remainder have either been the result of close contact (125) or travel (38).

The community transmission category is a catch-all for anyone who is not linked to the other three categories.

Ontario reported 412 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, bringing the provincial total to 18,722 cases.

The death toll has risen to 1,429 as 68 more deaths were reported.

Correction: This story initially reported that 10 residents of Lanark Heights have died when the number should have been 3. We apologize for any confusion this may have created.