Waterloo Public Health reported another 15 positive tests for the coronavirus on Thursday, lifting the total number of COVID-19 cases in the region to 18,461.
This drops the rolling seven-day average number of new cases back down to 17.3. A week ago, the average totalled 15.9.
Another 20 people were also cleared of the virus, pushing the total number of resolved cases up to 18,020.
After a new COVID-19-related death was reported on Wednesday, none were reported on Thursday, leaving the death toll in the area at 283, including one over the first five days of August. There were 17 deaths in the area last month.
The region now has 143 active COVID-19 cases, including 15 in area hospitals, 10 of which are intensive care. The region was down to 119 active cases just last Thursday.
The area is back up to 10 active COVID-19 outbreaks after new ones were declared at a restaurant involving three people and at an undisclosed retail location involving two people.
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The region’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution task force reported there have now been 776,426 vaccinations done in the area, 3,190 more than announced Wednesday.
It also said 365,561 residents have now been vaccinated, which is 2,650 above what was reported Wednesday.
That means 62.08 per cent of Waterloo Region residents are now fully vaccinated while 71.8 per cent of the population has now had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
These numbers jump to 83.38 per cent and 72.09 per cent when you just include people over the age of 11 who are eligible to be vaccinated.
Elsewhere, Ontario reported 213 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, as the daily case count jumps back above 200. The provincial case total now stands at 551,338.
Although the last three days saw daily cases below 200, Thursday’s data shows more tests were processed and the test positivity remains the same.According to Thursday’s report, 44 cases were recorded in Toronto, 31 in Peel Region, 18 each in Hamilton and York Region, 17 in Windsor-Essex, 14 in Waterloo, 11 in Halton Region and 10 in Middlesex-London.
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 9,374 as 14 more deaths were recorded. However, the Ministry of Health indicated 12 of those deaths occurred between February and May 2021 and were included due to a data cleanup.
—With files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues
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