Active COVID-19 case count in Waterloo Region jumps to 942 as overall total passes 7,000

The number of active COVID-19 cases in the region continues to skyrocket as Waterloo Public Health reported the total to be 942, some 54 more than a day earlier.

It has also grown by more than 400 since the end of last year, as on New Year’s Day, the agency reported the total to be 518.

That number continues to grow as Waterloo Public Health continues to report triple-digit numbers of new cases on a daily basis.

On Friday, it announced another 147 new positive tests for the coronavirus, lifting the total number of new cases in the area to 7,003.

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There are currently 23 people in area hospitals as a result of COVID-19, including 11 people who are in intensive care.

Waterloo Public Health also reported another 89 people had been cleared of the virus, pushing the total number of resolved cases in Waterloo Region to 5,882.

There were also two more COVID-19 related deaths reported on Friday, lifting the death toll in January to eight, with the overall total reaching 174.

The two deaths involved residents of Cambridge Country Manor, where 16 people have died in an outbreak that began on Dec. 8.

A total of 60 residents and 68 staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus since the outbreak began a month ago.

There are currently 36 active outbreaks in the area, including new ones that began in the mental health unit at Grand River Hospital, on a farm, in a food and beverage location, and at a manufacturing plant.

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Outbreaks were also declared over in the chest unit at St. Mary’s General Hospital on the sixth floor, and at another manufacturing plant.

Ontario is reporting 4,249 new cases of the coronavirus on Friday, a single-day record in the province, bringing the provincial total to 208,394.

However, due to a data backlog, the province said some cases in Friday’s daily total are older than the last 24 hours.

“Due to a data upload delay at Toronto Public Health, approximately 450 additional cases have been included in today’s count. These cases were primarily from January 5th and 6th,” the Ontario government said on Friday.

Despite Toronto Public Health’s data delay, and even without including the 450 older cases, Ontario is still reporting a record number of new coronavirus cases at just under 3,800.

The death toll in the province has risen to 4,882, as 26 more deaths were reported.

— with files from Gabby Rodrigues