28 new COVID-19 cases logged in Waterloo Region on Friday; active cases rising
Health officials in Waterloo Region reported 28 new COVID-19 cases on Friday as active cases continue to rise for the second day in a row.
Of the 28 new cases, 25 are linked to Thursday while three are from a previous reporting period. The latest cases bring Waterloo Region's total case load to 18,368, including 282 deaths and 17,943 resolved infections.
Active cases jumped by 14 in the past 24 hours, up to 133.
Hospitalizations also rose by two in Friday's update, now sitting at 15. Of those, 11 people are receiving treatment in area intensive care units.
There are currently six active COVID-19 outbreaks across the region.
Health partners have processed 541,773 COVID-19 tests since the pandemic began. As of Friday, the region's positivity rate sits at 1.9 per cent, with the reproductive rate of the virus is up to 0.9.
Another 63 infections were confirmed as variant of concern cases in Waterloo Region, all of which were linked to the Delta variant. Since the pandemic began, 4,746 cases have been confirmed as variants of concern.
The region's variant breakdown is as follows:
- 3,122 are the Alpha variant, first identified in the United Kingdom and originally known as B.1.1.7
- 21 are the Beta variant, originally detected in South Africa and previously referred to as B.1.315
- 96 are the Gamma variant, initially discovered in Brazil and labelled as P.1
- 1,250 are the Delta variant, first found in India and previously called B.1.617
- 257 cases have had a mutation detected, but have not yet had a variant strain confirmed
Meanwhile, health partners in Waterloo Region put 4,586 COVID-19 vaccine jabs into arms on Thursday, bringing the total number of doses administered to 758,343.
More than 69 per cent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated, while 82.85 per cent of residents 12 and older have received at least one dose.
Waterloo Region public health will not be updating its COVID-19 dashboard on Monday because of the holiday.
Province-wide, heath officials confirmed 226 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, marking the fifth day in a row of rising infection numbers.
Ontario's lab-confirmed COVID-19 case total is now 550,178, including 539,348 recoveries and 9,339 deaths related to the disease.
With files from CTV Toronto.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Ontario woman loses $15,000 to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
DEVELOPING Israel targets air defence system in Syria, state news agency says
Israel carried out a missile strike targeting an air defence unit in southern Syria, causing material damage, state-run SANA news agency quoted a military statement as saying Friday.
Some Canadian families will receive up to $620 per child today
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.