Another 103 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the region, lifting the total number of COVID-19 cases to 8,401, according to Waterloo Public Health.
It is the third straight day the agency has reported 115 or fewer cases, after having been well above that mark for more than 10 consecutive days.
Another 162 people were cleared of the virus, pushing the total number of resolved cases to 7,314.
There were no COVID-19-related deaths reported for the second consecutive day, leaving the death toll at 181. Two were announced on Saturday.
The number of active cases dropped down to 905 on Monday, a decline of 54 from one day earlier.
There are now 49 people in area hospitals as a result of COVID-19, including 16 people who are in intensive care. That number has risen rapidly but could also include people who have been transferred into area hospitals from out of region.
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According to the webpage of the region’s distribution task force, only 788 people were given the COVID-19 vaccine over the weekend. There have now been 10,956 vaccinations administered in the region since the first dose on Dec. 23.
There are now an astonishing 48 COVID-19 outbreaks in Waterloo Region with some of the larger ones spreading fairly rapidly.
At Chartwell Westmount long-term-care home in Kitchener where two people have died, there have now been 53 residents and 30 staff members test positive since an outbreak began on Dec. 27.
In similar story, a total of 37 residents and 16 staff members have now tested positive at the Chartwell Elmira Retirement Residence since an outbreak was declared on Jan. 10.
There were three new outbreaks reported on Monday including one at the Stirling Heights long term care in Kitchener and one at the Golden Years Retirement Residence in Cambridge.
The third new outbreak has occurred on the 3 East Unit at St. Mary’s General Hospital in Kitchener.
New outbreaks were also declared over the weekend at a pair of childcare centres in Watelroo Region.
One was at a Brightpath daycare in Cambridge, while the other was at a home-based childcare centre whose location was not specified by Waterloo Public Health.
Two outbreaks have also been declared over, including one at Chartwell Clair Hills in Waterloo and another in a congregate setting.
Elsewhere, Ontario is reporting 2,578 new cases of the coronavirus on Monday, bringing the provincial total to 240,364.
Monday’s case count is a significant dip from Sunday’s, which saw 3,422 new infections. On Saturday, 3,056 new cases were recorded and 2,998 on Friday.
It is also the lowest number of new cases reported within 24 hours since Jan. 1, when 2,476 new cases were recorded.
“Locally, there are 815 new cases in Toronto, 507 in Peel, 151 in York Region, 151 in Niagara and 121 in Hamilton,” Health Minister Christine Elliott said.
The death toll in the province has risen to 5,433 after 24 more deaths were reported.
— With files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues
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