Health officials report COVID-19-related death of child under 10 in Ontario's Waterloo Region
A child under the age of 10, who Waterloo Region's medical officer of health said had underlying health conditions, has died due to COVID-19.
Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang confirmed the child's death at the region's weekly COVID-19 briefing on Friday morning.
"The child had underlying health conditions," Wang said. "There were no school-related or childcare-related exposures in this case."
Wang said she is not aware of a younger death reported in Ontario to date, and said this is the first death in the under 10 age group in Waterloo Region. However, she didn't provide any further specifics about the age of the child who died.
She said this is a "rare, tragic circumstance" that serves as a "devastating reminder of the serious nature of this virus."
"This is a heartbreaking loss and I wish to express my deepest sympathy and condolences to the family and loved ones," Wang added.
Premier Doug Ford tweeted about the death, saying it is "absolutely gut-wrenching."
"My prayers are with the family at this excruciatingly difficult time," his tweet said. "This virus know no bounds. It's why we need every eligible Ontarian to get vaccinated — to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and those who can’t yet get vaccinated against COVID-19."
Health Minister Christine Elliott addressed the death at a press conference on Friday afternoon.
"I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the child in Waterloo Region who passed away due to COVID-19," she said. "This is a truly tragic situation and not only is it a heartbreaking loss to the community, it is also a devastating remind of the serious consequences of COVID. My thoughts and prayers are with all of the friends and family at this time."
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau also addressed the death at a campaign stop in Kitchener on Friday.
"Before I start, I just want to take a moment as a dad, as a leader, as a prime minister, to express my deepest condolences to the Waterloo Region family that just lost their child to COVID," he said. "We've all been heartbroken by that news this morning and they need to know that we all stand with them and are grieving with them through this unbelievably difficult time."
Wang again called on residents to get vaccinated as soon as they are able.
"The best way that we have as a community to protect our children who are not yet vaccinated is to vaccinate all of those around them and to keep up those public health precautions," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cargo ship had engine maintenance in port before Baltimore bridge collapse, officials say
The cargo ship that lost power and crashed into a bridge in Baltimore underwent 'routine engine maintenance' in port beforehand, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
Families shocked after Niagara Falls hotel cancels bookings made year in advance of solar eclipse
After having the foresight to book their Niagara Falls hotel rooms more than a year in advance, several families planning to take in the solar eclipse next month were shocked to find out their reservations had been cancelled.
B.C. rescuers face 'high likelihood' of failure to reunite orphaned orca with pod
The race to reunite an orphaned orca calf that’s stuck in a shallow lagoon with a neighbouring pod has entered its fifth day, and a marine scientist says the clock is ticking.
Video shows police interrupting auto theft in progress outside Toronto home
New video footage obtained by CP24 shows the attempted theft of a vehicle in a North York driveway earlier this month that was ultimately interrupted by police.
Majority of Canadians believe in life after death: Angus Reid survey
A new survey from the Angus Reid Institute has found that a majority of Canadians believe in some form of life after death, a proportion that has held steady for decades.
MyPillow, owned by U.S. election denier Mike Lindell, formally evicted from Minnesota warehouse
A court ordered the eviction Wednesday of MyPillow from a suburban Minneapolis warehouse that it formerly used.