28 people currently in Waterloo Region hospitals due to COVID-19

There are currently 28 people in area hospitals due to COVID-19 including eight who are in ICU, according to Waterloo Public Health.

The number of people in the three hospitals is a dramatic increase from just two weeks ago as that total stood at just five on Nov. 13.

Those cases in the hospital are among the 460 COVID-19 cases currently active in Waterloo Region.

That number rose on Friday as Waterloo Public Health reported another 75 positive tests for the coronavirus on Friday, raising the total number of cases in the area to 3,362.

This is the third straight day there have been more than 70 new cases reported.

At the same time, 48 others were cleared of the virus raising the total number of resolved cases to 2,776.

There were no new deaths reported leaving the death toll at 124.

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Waterloo Public Health reported two new outbreaks in the area including one in the food processing industry in which nine people have tested positive and one related to construction where two people have tested positive.

Another outbreak was also declared at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener after three patients and two staff members in the same ward tested positive.

Two other outbreaks were also declared over including one involving the food and beverage industry which began on Nov. 20 and saw four people infected and another at a food processing facility which began on Nov. 11 and saw four people infected.

A 23^rd case has been connected to an outbreak involving racquet sports which began on Nov. 12. Waterloo Public Health has chosen not to provide any further details about the outbreak.

In all, there are 23 active COVID-19 outbreaks in Waterloo Region.

Ontario reported 1,855 new cases of coronavirus on Friday — a new provincial record since the pandemic began — as the total now reaches 111,216.

Friday’s case count beats the previous single-day high of 1,589 cases recorded on Monday.

The death toll in the province has risen to 3,595 as 20 more deaths were reported.

— With files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues