Waterloo Public Health announced that two men have suffered COVID-19-related deaths while 90 other people have now tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
This is the second time in a week the agency has announced 90 or more new cases after having never done so before.
“We are also reporting one of our single largest daily increases in cases today,” Dr. Julie Emili, associate medical officer of health, said in statement Wednesday.
“Residents should consider COVID-19 to be widely circulating in the community. We all have a role to play to protect each other.
“By practicing public health measures — avoiding social gatherings with those outside your immediate household, limiting non-essential trips, physical distancing, wearing a face covering, proper hand hygiene — we are working to protect those most at risk of severe illness and outcomes in our community.”
There have now been 4,671 cases in Waterloo Region since the pandemic began in March.
Emili said the two men who died were both in their 80s but did not provide any further details about their situations.
Another 69 people have been cleared of the virus, lifting the total number of resolved cases in the area to 4,044.
This leaves the area with 486 active cases including 37 people who are in hospital, 10 of whom are intensive care.
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There were also two new outbreaks reported in the area, one of which was in manufacturing and the other involving the Waterloo Heights building in which two residents have tested positive.
The outbreak is also over involving the Cambridge fire department as the number of active outbreaks in the area rises to 31.
Ontario reported 2,139 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, marking the second highest single-day increase to date, bringing the provincial total to 146,535.
Wednesday’s case count is also the second consecutive day new cases are above 2,000 after 2,275 new infections were recorded on Tuesday.
According to Wednesday’s provincial report, 780 cases were recorded in Toronto, 528 in Peel Region, 148 in York Region, 143 in Durham Region and 111 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 4,035 as 43 more deaths were reported.
— With files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues
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