26 more COVID-19 cases reported in Waterloo Region on Friday

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Waterloo Region was back in the 20s again on Friday but will still below the number announced seven days earlier.

Waterloo Public Health reported 26 new COVID-19 cases, two less than last Friday, lifting the total number of cases in the area to 18,467.

This drops the rolling seven-day average number of new cases down to an even 17. A week ago that number came in at 15.9.

Another 29 people were also cleared of the virus, pushing the total number of resolved cases in the area to 18,049.

For the second straight day, there were no new COVID-19-related deaths announced in the area, leaving the death toll at 283, including one in August.

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This leaves the area with 142 active COVID-19 cases including 14 people in area hospitals (including Guelph General) with 11 of those being in ICU.

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Waterloo Region’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution task force says there have now been 778,484 vaccinations done in the area, which is just 2,058 more than it reported 24 hours earlier.

It says 367,215 area residents have now been vaccinated, which is 2,058 more than was announced on Thursday.

This means that 71.87 per cent of area residents are now fully vaccinated with 83.46 per cent now having had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

These numbers climb to 74.07 per cent and 83.46 per cent when just considering those who are eligible to be vaccinated.

Elsewhere, Ontario reported 340 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, marking the first time cases have been over 300 since late June.

According to Friday’s report, 80 cases were recorded in Toronto, 41 in York Region, 36 in Peel Region, 23 in Windsor-Essex, 15 in Middlesex-London and Hamilton,14 in Grey Bruce, and 13 in Durham Region.

All other local public health units reported 10 or fewer new cases in the provincial report.

The death toll in the province has risen to 9,392 as 18 more deaths were recorded. However, the ministry of health indicated 16 of those deaths occurred more than six weeks ago and were included as a result of a data clean-up.

–With files from Global News’ Jessica Patton