26 COVID-19 deaths reported in Waterloo Region over 30-day period

Staff work at the Grand River Hospital during the Omicron wave on Jan. 21, 2022 (Supplied: Grand River Hospital)

Health officials in Waterloo Region reported 26 deaths related to COVID-19 between Dec. 24 and Jan. 23.

Speaking at the region’s COVID-19 briefing on Friday morning, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang said the area is seeing a growing number of deaths amid the latest Omicron wave.

“Death is the most delayed indicator of previous spread,” Dr. Wang said.

According to Dr. Wang, 15 women and 11 men died over the span of those 30 days.

The age range of deaths in that time frame was people between 51 and 99 years of age. Dr. Wang said 65 per cent of deaths were in the 80+ age category, and 12 deaths were associated with retirement and long-term care homes.

She added that 73 per cent of the people who died had at least two vaccine doses.

“While the risk of serious outcomes remains greatest among the unvaccinated, a majority of deaths recorded will be among the vaccinated, as a large majority of the population have had two doses, at least, already, especially those in the older age groups,” Dr. Wang said. “The oldest age groups are also at greatest risk of severe outcomes, including death.”

Dr. Wang said 62 per cent of the reported deaths “had COVID-19 listed as an underlying cause.”

“Sadly, we have lost many of our loved ones to the pandemic,” she said. “I would like to express my deepest sympathy to everyone who has lost a friend or family member to COVID-19.”

As of Friday, the region had reported 348 deaths related to COVID-19 to date.