COVID-19 death toll continues to climb in Waterloo Region

For the 10^th time in December, a Waterloo Region resident has suffered a COVID-19 related death, according to Waterloo Public Health.

To put it in perspective, there were only nine reported over the previous four months.

“I am saddened to hear of another death of a member of our community where COVID-19 is thought to have been a contributing factor,” Waterloo Public Health’s Dr. Julie Emili told Global News in a statement.

“The individual was a male, in his 80s and was hospitalized. He also had other underlying conditions.”

The death toll in the area has now risen to 135.

Waterloo Public Health also reported 69 new positive tests for the novel coronavirus on Monday, raising the total number of cases in the area to 4,529.

Another 51 people have been cleared of the virus, raising the total number of resolved cases in the area to 3,923.

There are currently 469 active COVID-19 cases in Waterloo Region, including a dozen people who are intensive care and another 15 who are hospitalized.

A number of the new cases in the area can be linked to a couple of rapidly-expanding outbreaks at long-term-care homes.

There have now been 32 residents and 16 staff members test positive at Cambridge Country Manor, which is an increase of six residents and four staff members.

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It is a similar story at the Village of Winston Park where the numbers have grown to 11 and seven from six and seven.

A new outbreak was also declared at the Village of University Gates after a staff member tested positive.

Two outbreaks have also come to an end, including one at Derbecker’s Heritage House in Woolwich and another at a food processing plant, leaving the area with 26 active outbreaks.

Elsewhere, Ontario reported 1,940 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, marking the second highest single-day increase, to bring the provincial total to 142,121.

Monday’s case count is a jump from Sunday’s which saw 1,677 new infections. On Saturday, 1,873 cases were recorded and 1,848 on Friday. On Thursday, 1,983 cases were recorded which set a one-day record in the province.

According to Monday’s provincial report, 544 cases were recorded in Toronto, 390 in Peel Region, 191 in York Region, 134 in Hamilton and 114 in Windsor-Essex.

All other public health units in Ontario reported under 100 new cases in the provincial report.

The death toll in the province has risen to 3,972 as 23 more deaths were reported.

— With files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues