Waterloo Public Health announces most new COVID-19 cases in area since May

Waterloo Public Health reported 42 new positive tests for the coronavirus on Friday bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in the area to 2,295.

The new tests helped prompt the province to place Waterloo Region into the yellow category of its new provincial COVID-19 restriction scale.

The number is the largest the area has seen since May 5, when 43 new COVID-19 cases were announced.

The largest number of new cases Waterloo Public Health has announced in a day was 71 on April 17 with 68 of those being related to outbreaks at long-term-care homes.

6:09 Coronavirus: Does COVID-19 spread differently in colder weather?

A new COVID-19 outbreak was announced Friday at one of those long-term-care homes on Friday by Waterloo Public Health.

The agency says a staff member has tested positive at Forest Heights Revera in Kitchener prompting an outbreak to be declared.

The home saw 73 residents suffer COVID-19-related deaths when it was under outbreak status from April 1 until June 30.

During that time, 178 residents and 51 staff members tested positive for the coronavirus.

A new outbreak was also declared Friday at Avenue Road Public School in Cambridge after two students from the same cohort tested positive.

There are currently nine outbreaks in Waterloo Region including three at retirement homes, three at schools, one at a daycare, one in a before-and-after care setting and one related to a wedding.

1:17 Health benefits of exercise during COVID-19 pandemic

Waterloo Public Health reported another 21 people being cleared of the virus, raising the total number of resolved cases to 2,005.

The region currently has 169 active cases including seven people who are in hospital as a result of the virus.

Ontario reported 1,003 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the provincial total to 81,693.

Friday’s case count is an increase from Thursday’s which saw 998 cases and Wednesday’s at 987. Active cases in Ontario now stand at 8,398.

According to Friday’s provincial report, 300 new cases were recorded in Toronto, 280 in Peel Region, 125 in York Region, 43 in Ottawa and 41 in Halton Region.

The death toll in the province rose to 3,209 as 14 more deaths were reported.