The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the Waterloo region has more than tripled since the start of the month, according to the Waterloo Region COVID-19 dashboard.
On July 1, the region was reporting 15 people in hospital.
Friday’s update shows there are currently 46 people in local hospitals, up from the 33 in hospital reported on Monday.
The number of patients in intensive care has decreased to two people. The update from July 8 showed four people in intensive care.
The Region of Waterloo is reporting 220 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths related to COVID-19.
The Friday afternoon update brings the region's to date reported number of cases to 47,717 and 431 deaths.
Currently, the region is reporting 297 active cases, up 27 from the last weekly update.
Currently, there are 23 active outbreaks in high-risk settings, an increase of eight in the last week.
According to the dashboard, 13 outbreaks are in long-term-care homes and retirement homes, three are in hospital and seven are in congregate settings – a category that includes shelters, group homes and correctional facilities.
The dashboard shows 89 per cent of the Waterloo region population aged five and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Recently, the province expanded eligibility for the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine, as well as offering a fourth booster dose to the general public.
The province is seeing a summer wave of virus infections driven by the BA.5 Omicron variant.
Over the last week, the province of Ontario has added 39 net new deaths to its COVID-19 tally, pushing the number up to 13,493.
