Waterloo Public Health reported another 19 positive tests for coronavirus on Wednesday, lifting the total number of COVID-19 cases in the area to 18,446.
This lifts the rolling seven-day average number of new cases up to 18. That number came in at 14.1 a week ago.
The agency also reported a COVID-19-related death for the first time in August, lifting the death toll in the area up to 283. There were 17 victims added to the total in July.
“The individual was a male in his 70s,” said Dr. Rabia Bana, associate medical officer of health. “I wish to express my deep sympathy to the family and loved ones of this individual.”
Another 11 people were also cleared of the virus, lifting the total number of resolved cases in the region to 18,000.
This leaves the region with 151 active COVID-19 cases including 19 people who are in area hospitals, 10 of whom are currently in intensive care.
Meanwhile, the region’s vaccine distribution task force says there have now been 773,236 vaccinations done in the area, just 2,515 more than it reported on Tuesday.
A total of 362,911 Waterloo Region residents have been fully vaccinated, 2,092 more than was announced Tuesday.
This means that 71.71 per cent of all residents have now had both required doses while 61.63 per cent have now had one.
Those numbers rise to 83.27 per cent and 71.57 per cent when only including those over the age of 11 who are eligible to be vaccinated.
Elsewhere, Ontario reported 139 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the third day in a row daily cases have dipped below 200. The provincial case total now stands at 551,125.
According to Wednesday’s report, 26 cases were recorded in Toronto, 18 in Peel Region, 15 in York Region, 12 in Hamilton, 11 in Durham Region and 10 in Windsor-Essex.
All other local public health units reported fewer than 10 new cases in the provincial report.
The death toll in the province has risen to 9,360 as 11 more deaths were recorded. However, the ministry of health indicated seven of those deaths were from 2020 based on data cleaning.
— with files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues