For the first time since the pandemic began, the province reported that Waterloo Region has the highest number of new COVID-19 cases in its daily report.
On Twitter, Health Minister Christine Elliott said there were 384 new cases provincewide, with 71 of those being reported in Waterloo Region.
The rest of the top five included Peel (60), Toronto (54), Middlesex-London (23) and Ottawa (21).
The province’s numbers differ from the region’s numbers as Ontario’s numbers are from 4 p.m. Tuesday, while the local ones are from midnight.
Waterloo Public Health reports its numbers at 1:30 p.m. on a daily basis, and on Wednesday, it reported 72 new positive tests for COVID-19. There have now been 16,787 new cases reported in the area.
The rolling seven-day average number of new cases has risen to 65.6, while that number stood at 40.3 on May 31.
Waterloo Region was one of seven to be declared a hot spot by the province for the Delta variant of concern last week, which meant locals would be eligible for a second shot quicker.
Prior to that, Waterloo Region has always lagged behind other areas of the province in terms of supply.
The region’s vaccine distribution clinic reported there have now been 428,131 vaccinations in the area, 8,361 more than a day earlier.
A handful of those had been done prior to Tuesday, but it was the second-busiest day the region has had in terms of vaccinations.
A good portion of those were people getting a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, as 62,077 area residents are now fully vaccinated, 5,384 more than what was reported Tuesday.
A total of 61.19 per cent of area residents have now received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 10.54 per cent of Waterloo citizens are fully vaccinated.
The goal is to reach 75 per cent, which would, in theory, achieve her immunity.
The news was also a little better in area hospitals as 45 people in local hospitals (including in Guelph and Fergus), 15 of which are in intensive care units. Both numbers dropped by seven on Wednesday.
Unfortunately, another person also suffered a COVID-19-related death, pushing Waterloo Region’s death toll up to 259, including three people this month.
Another 61 people have been cleared of the virus in the area, lifting the total number of resolved cases to 16,022.
This leaves the area with 494 active COVID-19 cases and nine outbreaks.
Two new ones were declared at health services and trades locations