There have been four new deaths related to COVID-19 in the last week, according to the weekly dashboard update from the Region of Waterloo Public Health.
This brings the region’s total number of deaths since the beginning of the pandemic to 436.
According to the dashboard, the number of active cases in the region decreased by 45, bringing the region’s active caseload to 429.
The number of hospitalizations, which tripled earlier this month, declined from 53 last week to 45.
The number of hospitalizations is still three times as high as it was on July 1 when the public health unit recorded 15 people in hospital related to COVID-19.
Three people are currently in ICU, down from the five reported last week.
Some experts say the hospitalization numbers are dropping as Ontario may be entering the early stages of plateauing, with the latest data showing little or no change in most public health indicators over the last week.
Public health officials say the number of active outbreaks in high-risk settings decreased to 27, a drop of six.
Of those outbreaks, 19 are in long-term care or retirement homes, three are in hospitals, and six are in congregate settings – a category that includes shelters, group homes and correctional facilities.
