Coronavirus cases not rising at same pace as expanded testing in Waterloo: top doc

Waterloo Region’s top doctor says the expanded testing for the novel coronavirus has not brought a matching increase in positive cases.

Acting medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang said Friday about that seven per cent of people who have been tested in Waterloo Region are testing positive.

“There are currently 257 active cases, of which 221 (or 86 per cent) are isolating at home or in their congregate setting home and 32 cases (or 12 per cent) are in hospital,” Wang said. “Four cases are still under investigation.”

The region has now conducted 14,707 tests for the coronavirus with 1,066 positive cases.

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Dr. Wang says that despite the relatively low number of cases, the ever-present danger of COVID-19 remains throughout the region.

“We are still in a precarious state,” she said Friday morning. “COVID-19 is still in our community and the risk to acquiring it is present to all throughout the region.”

Waterloo Public Health says 697 cases in the region have been cleared of the virus while 112 people have suffered COVID-19-related deaths.