Waterloo Region Public Health announced 14 new positive tests for the novel coronavirus on Friday, raising the total number of cases to 1,553.
This represents the largest total number of positive tests announced in one day since June 22, although that was a Monday and represented three days of data.
You have to look back to June 2 to find a single-day total which was larger than Friday’s. There were 24 new cases reported that day.
The agency also reported nine new cases on Thursday with 20 of the 23 new cases over the past two days being attributed to community spread.
“We’ve noticed an increasing number of cases reported in the last few days,” Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, the region’s acting medical officer of health, said. “Waterloo Public Health is quickly following up with cases and contacts.”
She says public health is not surprised by the increase in the number of cases
“We were expecting to see increased cases due to increased social interaction in the last few weeks, but we still need to keep the spread of COVID as low as possible,” Wang warned. “Please continue to do your part, do not expand your social circles and keep practising physical distancing with those outside your social circles.”
Seven people were also cleared of the virus raising the total number of resolved cases to 1,339.
There have been no COVID-19-related deaths reported in the area since Aug. 21, leaving the death toll at 120.
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This raises the total active number of cases to 44 although, on a positive note, none are in area hospitals at the moment.
Ontario reported 213 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Friday, bringing the provincial total to 44,068.
Friday’s case count is the largest increase within 24 hours since June 29 when 257 cases were recorded.
However, it is also the most tests completed within a day in over a month.
The death toll in the province has decreased by one death to 2,813. A decrease in deaths can be the result of updated information.
*With files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues
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