KITCHENER -- Public health officials in Waterloo Region reported no new COVID-19 deaths on Friday, along with 10 new confirmed cases.
There are now 983 total confirmed cases in the region, including 550 resolved ones. That's nine more resolved cases than were reported the day before.
With no new deaths reported, the death toll remains at 108.
One new outbreak was declared at a long-term care home, Columbia Forest, where one staff member has tested positive for the virus.
There are 11 active outbreaks in these facilities and retirement homes in the region. Twenty-one outbreaks have been declared over.
St. Mary's General Hospital also declared the outbreak in its fifth-floor medicine unit over. It was declared back on April 23. There are now no active outbreaks at any hospitals in Waterloo Region.
Public health officials also reported the outbreak at Conestoga Meats on its website for the first time. The meat processing plant in Breslau accounts for 75 of the confirmed cases in the region.
None of those cases have died.
Ontario starting to reopen
The Ontario government announced Thursday it would begin its first stage of recovery over the next week.
As early as Saturday, golf courses and marinas will be open for recreational use. By Tuesday, non-mall, street-level retail stores will be allowed to reopen, too, as will pet groomers, tennis courts and other recreational businesses.
The full list includes dozens of businesses who will be allowed to operate again in some capacity.
The Region of Waterloo announced that its municipalities would be easing up on its restrictions in parks, allowing people to use them recreationally with members of their household.
That means that playing Frisbee, kicking a ball around or sitting on a blanket will all have the green light moving forward.
The decision to begin reopening was made in part because of adequate provincial hospital capacity and improved testing measures.
In Waterloo Region, testing partners are still struggling with what they say is limited lab capacity.
One man told CTV that he had to be tested three times after his first two tests reportedly didn't make it to the lab on time.
The province reported another 341 cases of COVID-19 on Friday, noting that a data error led to Thursday's low report.
There are now 21,922 confirmed cases in Ontario, including 1,825 deaths and 16,641 recoveries. Recoveries now account for more than three quarters of the cases in the province.
