70 cases now linked to COVID-19 outbreak at nursing home in Cambridge

There have now been 70 COVID-19 cases connected to an outbreak at a nursing home in Cambridge, according to Waterloo Public Health.

The agency says 34 residents and 36 staff members have now tested positive at Cambridge Country Manor since the outbreak first began on Dec. 8.

It is one of 29 active outbreaks in Waterloo Region with another also seeing a quick uptick in cases.

A resident has died while 18 others have tested positive for COVID-19 since an outbreak began at the Village of Winston Park retirement home on Dec. 6.

The total number of cases connected to the home stands at 28 as nine other staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus.

There was one new COVID-19 outbreak reported in Waterloo Region at Hillcrest Public School after a student and teacher tested positive.

Three outbreaks have been declared over, including one at Brightpath Childcare Centre in Cambridge, one at Kidsability and one in a congregate setting.

Waterloo Public Health reported 68 new positive tests for the coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the total number of cases in the area to 4,739.

The agency also reported that 74 people have been cleared of the virus, raising the total number of resolved cases to 4,118.

There were no new COVID-19-related deaths reported for the first time since last Saturday, so the death toll for the region remains at 139.

There are currently 478 active COVID-19 cases in Waterloo Region, including 38 people who are in hospital, 10 of whom are in intensive care.

Ontario reported 2,432 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday — marking a new single-day record to date, the second new record this week — bringing the provincial total to 148,967.

Thursday’s case count is the third consecutive day that cases are above 2,000 after 2,139 new infections were recorded on Wednesday, and 2,275 cases on Tuesday (the previous daily record).

According to Thursday’s provincial report, 737 cases were recorded in Toronto, 434 in Peel Region, 209 in York Region, 190 in Windsor-Essex,142 in Hamilton and 104 in Halton Region.

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