504 new COVID-19 cases reported in Waterloo Region on Thursday

Waterloo Public Health reported another 504 new positive tests for the coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in the area to 29,350.

For the first time in three days, there were no new COVID-19-related deaths reported in the region so the death toll remains at 317, including four victims in January.

The number of COVID-19 patients in area hospitals continues to grow at a dramatic rate as there are now 65, including six people who need intensive care. On Monday, there were 48 people in area hospitals as a result of the virus.

Another 244 people have also been cleared of the virus, lifting the total number of resolved cases to 24,557.

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This means the area now has 4,281 active COVID-19 cases, up from the last two days but still down from Monday when that number stood at 4,319.

There are also now 29 active COVID-19 outbreaks, up seven from Wednesday, after one was connected to Community Living Cambridge, two others in unnamed congregate settings and four others were connected to long-term care and retirement homes.

That quartet includes Peoplecare Hilltop Manor in Cambridge as well as three in Waterloo at Pinehaven Nursing Home, Columbia Forest and the University Gates Retirement Home.

COVID-19 vaccinations continue at a brisk pace in the area as Waterloo Public Health reports there have now been 1,118,133 done in the area, up 9,135 from Wednesday.

This includes seeing another 7,917 people get a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine, which brings the total number in the area to 118,133.

Elsewhere, Ontario reported 13,339 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, as hospitalizations and ICU numbers continue to increase. The provincial case total now stands at 841,371.

For the regional breakdown, 2,645 cases were recorded in Toronto, 1,500 in Peel Region, 1,238 each in Ottawa and York Region, 772 in Durham Region, 675 in Halton and 665 in Hamilton. All other local public health units reported fewer than 600 new cases in the provincial report.

Ontario reported 2,279 people in hospital wards with COVID-19 (up by 198 from the previous day) with 319 patients in intensive care units (up by 31). Last Thursday, there were 965 hospitalizations with 200 in ICUs.

The death toll in the province has risen to 10,272 as 20 more virus-related deaths were reported.