82 new COVID-19 cases reported in Waterloo Region, most in 2 months

Waterloo Public Health reported 82 new positive tests for COVID-19 on Tuesday, lifting the total number of cases in the area to 12,270.

This is the largest number the agency has reported since Jan. 29 when there 89 new cases announced.

This lifts the seven-day rolling average number of new cases to 55 per day.

Another 42 people have also been cleared of the virus, pushing the total number of resolved cases in the area to 11,625.

No new COVID-19-related deaths were reported leaving the death toll in the area at 243 including one in April.

This leaves the active number of COVID-19 cases at 386 including 20 people who are in area hospitals, six of whom are in intensive care.

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There are now 13 active COVID-19 outbreaks in Waterloo Region as new ones were announced at an Optometrist’s office, Elite Daycare in Cambridge and Holy Rosary Catholic School in Waterloo.

The school has closed its doors until after March Break as a “significant number” of staff are currently in isolation after Waterloo Public Health declared its third outbreak there in less than two weeks.

Waterloo’s vaccine distribution task force reported 98,926 vaccinations in the area so far, a total of 2,521 more than it reported on Monday.

It says that 14.21 per cent of Waterloo Region residents have now received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Elsewhere, Ontario reported 3,065 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the provincial total to 367,602.

According to Tuesday’s provincial report, 955 cases were recorded in Toronto, 561 in Peel Region, 320 in York Region, 165 in Ottawa, 132 in Niagara Region, 128 in Hamilton, 119 in Halton Region and 101 in Durham Region.

All other local public health units reported fewer than 100 new cases in the provincial report.

The death toll in the province has risen to 7,458 as eight more deaths were recorded.

— with files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues