KITCHENER -- A recent spike in COVID-19 cases around the Six Nations and Osheweken area have health officials blaming large gatherings.

On Thursday, 36 new cases were reported by the local health unit, while the eight new cases on Friday bumped the active case count to 79.

In a Friday news release, public health calls the numbers extremely concerning and is asking community members to get tested immediately if they attended a gathering outside their household.

Anyone who went to a gathering in the last two weeks is asked to self-isolate for 14 days.