80 new COVID-19 cases reported in Waterloo as total rises past 9,000

For the third straight day, Waterloo Public Health reported fewer than 100 new COVID-19 cases on Monday.

The agency announced 80 new positive tests for the coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the area to 9,027.

While the 80 mark is low for January, it is well above the 34 new cases that were reported on Sunday. There were 92 cases announced on Saturday.

In addition, another 117 people were cleared of the virus, pushing the total number of resolved cases to 8,092.

The number of active cases continues to fall as it now stands at 741.

There are currently people in area hospitals as a result of COVID-19 including 10 people who are in intensive care.

Another two people have suffered COVID-19 related deaths, lifting the death toll in the area to 189.

This is the third straight day that two deaths have been reported as Waterloo Public Health has announced 10 over the past seven days.

Two deaths were reported at long-term care homes that are in the middle of significant outbreaks.

One was a Chartwell Westmount in Kitchener, where eight residents have now died. Sixty-two residents and 47 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 at the home since an outbreak was declared on Dec. 27.

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A second death was also reported at the Chartwell Elmira Retirement Residence, which has seen 42 residents and 19 staff members test positive during an outbreak that began on Jan. 10.

The area now has 39 active COVID-19 outbreaks after as second one was declared at Chartwell Westmount while others were also declared in congregate and school settings.

One has also ended at the Chartwell Terrace on the Square Retirement Residence in Waterloo.

Elsewhere, the province reported 1,958 new cases of the coronavirus on Monday, bringing the provincial total to 256,960.

Monday’s case count was lower than Sunday’s, which saw 2,417 new infections. On Saturday, 2,359 cases were recorded.

It was also fewer than 2,000 new cases as Canada marked the one-year anniversary of the first known COVID-19 case in the country.

“Locally, there are 727 new cases in Toronto, 365 in Peel and 157 in York Region,” Health Minister Christine Elliott said.

The death toll in the province rose to 5,846 after 43 more deaths were reported.

— With files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues