KITCHENER -- About a year ago, the first murmurs were heard of a mysterious illness spreading in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
By January of 2020, the first case of COVID-19 had reached Canada. Two months later, Waterloo Region identified its first case after two people had returned from Italy.
What followed next would be nine months of illness and heartbreak, but also resilience and hope. Here is a look back at 2020 and how COVID-19 has shaped our lives this year.
MARCH
March 3: After making headlines around the globe for weeks, COVID-19 finally reached Waterloo Region after the region’s first case returned from a trip to Italy.
March 8: Restaurants in the region start experiencing a lag in sales as a result of fears from the disease.
March 10: The first pandemic-related cancellations are seen in the region and local hospitals set up temporary clinics for testing.
March 11: Public health officials issue guidance for those travelling for March break -- namely, self-monitor for symptoms if you’re travelling to an area that had cases. Iran and Huban province in China are specifically mentioned as possible hot spots.
March 12: Two more cases of COVID-19 are reported in Waterloo Region. The Ontario government takes a proactive approach and announces that students will not return to class for two weeks after March break. That pause would last until September.
March 13: Grocery stores see empty shelves as people panic buy in the wake of increasing case numbers in the province. Regional police implore people not to partake in St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on Ezra Avenue.
March 16: St. Mary’s General Hospital and Grand River Hospital start screening visitors before they enter.
March 17: The Ontario government declares a State of Emergency, enacting sweeping changes in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. The initial declaration is supposed to last until March 31.
March 18: Waterloo Region hospitals announce they will ban visitors in an effort to clamp down on community spread.
March 22: Six staff members at St. Mary’s General Hospital are tested for COVID-19 after coming into close contact with a patient who tested positive. As many as 50 nurses may have been exposed to him, though the hospital's CEO says that doesn't tell the whole story.
March 23: A staff member at Grand River Hospital tests positive for COVID-19. A nightly chorus of banging pots and applause is heard ringing out over Kitchener as people thank health-care and frontline workers.
March 25: Waterloo Region's municipalities declare their own States of Emergency.
March 27: The region starts coordinating emergency child-care for critical service workers.
March 31: Forty-one-year-old John Tsai dies of COVID-19, the first reported fatality in Waterloo Region. Well-known in the music and hospitality communities in Waterloo, he's remembered as a leader and a caring soul with a passion for music.
APRIL
April 1: Waterloo Region has its second COVID-19 death. The patient was a man in his 50s who had been hospitalized at St. Mary's General Hospital. Two public health doctors are appointed to help the region through the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 6: Two COVID-19 assessment centres open in Waterloo Region: the KW4 Community Assessment Centre and the first location at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital. Neither site is open to the public or for walk-ins when they first open.
April 7: A Kitchener mask manufacturer expands its capacity to make 50,000 face shields per day.
Waterloo’s former mayor, Art Paleczny, dies from COVID-19 at the age of 91.
April 9: Statistics Canada finds that Waterloo Region lost 19,500 jobs since March. Waterloo Region’s students begin to tackle the learning curve that comes with getting their lessons online.
April 16: A police report finds that planning and policing for the empty Ezra Avenue street party on St. Patrick’s Day cost about $160,000.
April 18: Looking to cash in on its largest asset, the KW Oktoberfest lists its landmark building in downtown Kitchener for $1.8 million, citing uncertainty about the upcoming festival.
April 21: Dozens of residents of Forest Heights Revera, the long-term care home that was hardest hit by the pandemic, move to hospital beds.
April 30: A $50-million class action lawsuit is filed against Revera, alleging the company did not have proper sanitation protocols or testing for people living in its facilities.
MAY
May 7: The Canadian Shield celebrates its millionth shield after starting production in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 8: The region reports three more deaths, pushing the death toll in Waterloo Region past 100 as officials report another 10 cases.
May 11: The number of resolved cases in Waterloo Region surpasses the number of active ones. As the province begins lifting restrictions, then-acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang says we must “be very careful and proceed cautiously” in order to prevent cases from climbing again.
May 15: An Ontario woman says she’s had seven positive COVID-19 tests in 47 days. Known as a long-hauler, these patients can continue to test positive and suffer symptoms for weeks or months after diagnosis.
May 29: Forest Heights Revera in Kitchener is put on the province’s COVID-19 watchlist.
JUNE
June 2: St. Mary's General Hospital takes over management of Forest Heights Revera. The management of the facility will last for 90 days.
Health officials raise concerns about possible COVID-19 spread at a peaceful Black Lives Matter march scheduled in Kitchener. Organizers say people will need to wear masks to prevent spreading the disease.
June 4: St. Jacobs Farmers' Market opens for business again after it was forced to close for months due to the pandemic. Safety measures are put in place for vendors and customers.
June 10: Officials with Grand River Hospital say it could take a year to catch up with surgeries that were cancelled or delayed due to the pandemic.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health mandates masks in all indoor businesses and public spaces.
June 12: Waterloo Region moves into Stage 2 of the province's reopening plan, meaning patios can open for business again. Hair salons can also open for clients. There are health measures in place at all businesses able to open their doors.
June 13: Grand River Hospital's drive-thru COVID-19 testing site opens on Glasgow Street in Kitchener. Officials say they will be able to test more patients and use less PPE at the new centre.
June 18: Long-term care homes are able to welcome back visitors, as long as they are outdoors. However, officials declare an outbreak at Sunnyside Home.
June 29: Health officials warn that people who went to parties in London and then travelled back to Waterloo Region may have exposed others to COVID-19.
June 30: The COVID-19 outbreak at Forest Heights Revera finally ends. It was declared on April 1 and 178 residents and 73 staff members tested positive for the disease. A total of 51 people died in the outbreak.
Region of Waterloo Public Health launches a new map that shows where COVID-19 cases are located in the community.
JULY
July 6: Waterloo regional council unanimously approves a bylaw making masks mandatory in indoor public spaces. A second bylaw mandates mask use on transit vehicles and at shelters.
July 13: The mandatory mask bylaw comes into effect in Waterloo Region.
Officials announce the region will move into Stage 3 at the end of the week, meaning restaurants can offer indoor dining. Gyms and many other businesses are also allowed to welcome back clients.
July 24: Kitchener closes some roads to allow for a more pedestrian-friendly space. Open air patios will encourage physical distancing at downtown restaurants.
July 28: The Region of Waterloo reports no new COVID-19 cases for the first time since the pandemic began in March. Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang says it appears the region has moved through the first wave of the virus.
AUGUST
Aug. 4: The Waterloo Region District School Board releases its back-to-school plan. Following provincial guidelines, elementary students can return full-time and secondary students will move into cohorts. Students can also learn online.
Aug. 5: St. Mary's General Hospital says it has no COVID-19 patients for the first time since the pandemic started.
Aug. 7: Grand River Hospital also reports that it has no COVID-19 patients at the hospital, a first since March.
Aug. 9: An anti-mask group gathers in Kitchener's Victoria Park, telling people not to live in fear.
Aug. 17: The WRDSB votes to make masks mandatory for all students. The province says only students in Grades 4 to 12 need to wear masks.
Aug. 21: A study from the University of Waterloo shows that normal class sizes could result in five times more COVID-19 cases in students.
Aug. 24: Oktoberfest announces plans for a virtual festival in 2020, cancelling its parade due to the pandemic. The event will run over three weekends.
Aug. 28: Students in post-secondary institutions start moving back in to residences, but there are fewer students since many classes are online.
SEPTEMBER
Sept. 1: Local health officials announce back-to-school plans, warning that closures are possible if there is evidence of uncontrolled transmission of COVID-19 within the school. According to the province, an outbreak is declared if there are two or more cases with an epidemiological link between them.
Sept. 2: Officials warn overdose deaths in the region could pass a five-year high, saying the increase is partly due to people using alone during the pandemic.
Sept. 4: Schools prepare to welcome students back into the classroom. Measures are in place like symptom screenings, mandatory masks and physical distancing.
Sept. 7: A staff member at Edna Staebler Public School tests positive for COVID-19, prompting a full deep clean of the school. There are no high-risk contacts within the school setting.
Sept. 8: Some students in Waterloo Region return to the classroom for the first time since March. The Catholic and public school boards both plan staggered entries for the year.
Three people are charged for hosting a house party in Waterloo that had more than 100 people in attendance.
Sept. 15: Waterloo regional council votes to extend its face covering bylaw to May 31, 2021. The bylaw is also extended to include drivers and passengers in cabs, along with shared spaces in apartments and condos.
Sept. 16: People wait in long lineups for COVID-19 tests in Waterloo Region. Local hospitals say the increased demand has put extra pressure on the sites.
A kindergarten student at a Cambridge school tests positive for COVID-19. It's the first case in a student in the region. The class is told to self-isolate due to possible exposure.
Sept. 21: COVID-19 assessment centres warn of long lines and hours-long waits for testing as demand continues to surge.
Sept. 22: Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang says the region has moved into the second wave of COVID-19 as case counts rise. Dr. Wang says she expects cases and outbreaks to continue increasing over the coming weeks.
Tensions boil over at Kitchener's drive-thru testing site. Waterloo regional police are called to the site to help manage an argument after the site had stopped taking new patients.
Sept. 23: The drive-thru testing site closes for the day as staff reportedly face verbal abuse and threats of violence. Officials say the site will open the next day, but it will be by appointment only.
Sept. 24: The province updates its testing guidelines, saying people should only go for a test if they have COVID-19 symptoms or have been directed to seek testing by a health official due to exposure.
Sept. 25: Oktoberfest 2020 kicks off in an unprecedented year due to the pandemic. Events move online and the festival will last for three weekends.
The province announces some pharmacies in the region will soon offer COVID-19 tests for people who don't have symptoms.
Waterloo regional police Chief Bryan Larkin urges students to avoid any large parties on Homecoming Weekend due to the pandemic. The event typically draws thousands of party-goers to the region.
Officials declare a COVID-19 outbreak at Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School after a student and staff member in the same cohort both test positive for COVID-19. The school stays open and no other cohorts are dismissed.
Sept. 29: Select pharmacies in the region start to offer COVID-19 tests. The province says the decision to allow testing at pharmacies is meant to relieve pressure on testing sites in the region.
OCTOBER
Oct. 1: The University of Waterloo opens a COVID-19 testing site for staff and students.
Oct. 4: The Stu Sells Oakville Tankard shuts down after a male participant gets a warning of COVID-19 exposure. The men's event is cancelled during the playoffs, but the women's event continues.
Oct. 6: Researchers at the University of Waterloo develop a model to help determine who should receive the first COVID-19 vaccines once they're available. The model offers different options based on when the vaccine becomes available.
Oct. 8: Local and provincial health officials roll out a plan for the flu shot, saying it's more important than ever this year to help prevent overloading hospitals during flu season.
Oct. 13: Officials declare a COVID-19 outbreak in a residence building at Wilfrid Laurier University. They say the outbreak is the result of in-person study groups. Nineteen cases are eventually linked to these groups.
Oct. 20: The Region of Waterloo surpasses 2,000 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Oct. 21: Popular wedding venue Hacienda Sarria announces it's closing permanently, citing the ongoing pandemic for financial difficulties.
NOVEMBER
Nov. 3: Public health officials declare a COVID-19 outbreak at an event facility after 16 cases were linked to a wedding. While the region’s dashboard showed 16 cases, a public health doctor said that any cases who live outside of the region would not be included in the region’s tally.
The provincial government also releases a first draft of its tiered COVID-19 restriction plan. The draft places Waterloo Region in the green “prevent” tier, the least-restrictive of five.
Nov. 4: Waterloo Region’s top doctor warns that, despite the region’s placement in the green tier, our indicators could move us into the yellow “protect” tier.
Nov. 6: Two days later, the region moves into the yellow tier as a result of increasing COVID-19 numbers across several different indicators.
Nov. 9: Public health officials announce that 175 people may have been exposed to COVID-19 at a Kitchener restaurant. They say that anyone who attended Algarve Restaurant between Oct. 28 and Nov. 4 may have been exposed.
Nov. 10: A COVID-19 outbreak is declared at a University of Waterloo residence after two cases are linked to another case at the school.
Nov. 13: The Ontario government announces that Waterloo Region will move from the yellow to the orange restriction category, putting further restrictions on bars, restaurants, fitness settings and gyms, with additional measures in place for other businesses.
Nov. 16: Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang warns that the region could see more than 260 cases per day by mid-December, based on projections laid out by the province.
Nov. 17: Public health data shows that low-income and racialized people in Waterloo Region are being disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
Nov. 20: The province announces that Waterloo Region will escalate its restrictions once again, this time moving from the orange tier to the red “control” tier. The announcement comes about two and a half weeks after the draft showed the region was in the green.
Nov. 22: St. Mary’s General Hospital takes over an outbreak at a St. Jacobs retirement home after 19 residents and three staff members test positive for COVID-19.
Village Manor is no longer a licensed retirement home after its licence was revoked by The Retirement Home Regulatory Authority in June.
Nov. 23: An outbreak is declared at a Waterloo public school after a staff member went to work while they were infectious and waiting for the results of a COVID-19 test. Two others are eventually diagnosed with the disease as well before the outbreak is declared over.
Nov. 24: Dr. Wang calls for kindness as public health staff receive a "growing number of negative or hostile responses."
Nov. 28: Waterloo Region reports its highest-ever single-day increase in COVID-19 cases to date with 89. The total number of cases for this day would eventually grow to 92, only to be surpassed days later on Dec. 1.
DECEMBER
Dec. 1: Two firefighters in Cambridge test positive for COVID-19, prompting an outbreak. The city says that fire services will not be impacted by the fact that crew members are self-isolating. Eventually six cases will be linked to this outbreak.
Dec. 2: Hospitals in the region pause some non-urgent surgeries as COVID-19 cases swell. Officials at Grand River Hospital say the intensive care unit is at capacity, and that staff members are still trying to get through the backlog of surgeries cancelled during the first wave of the pandemic.
Dec. 4: Despite fears that the region could go into lockdown, the government keeps Waterloo Region in the red “control” tier. Dr. Wang says she hopes the region will be able to get cases under control without escalating local restrictions.
Linwood Public School closes for two weeks due to community transmission. It’s the first school in the region to close because of COVID-19 since students returned in September.
Dec. 6: St. Mary’s Hospital declares an outbreak in its chest unit. Initial reports show five patients and two staff members have tested positive.
Dec. 7: Grand River Hospital declares a retroactive COVID-19 outbreak. A number of staff cases were first found on Nov. 25, but the hospital says it couldn't find an obvious link until some patients were tested.
Public health officials urge people to limit their holiday gatherings to their immediate households. A new study shows that not everyone is listening: the poll from Angus Reid says that one in three Canadians plan to see their family over the holidays despite the pandemic.
Dec. 9: Health Canada approves the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine, a critical moment in Canada’s fight against the novel coronavirus.
A student in Waterloo Region tests positive for COVID-19 the same day that they were at school. Two cohorts at Kitchener’s Meadowlane Public School go into self-isolation as a result.
Dec. 10: Dr. Wang issues new instructions to businesses after recurring compliance issues are identified in workplaces. Officials note that businesses have already put several of the measures in place to protect their staff and patrons, but that there have been a number of outbreaks in workplace and business settings anyway.
Dec. 11: The Region of Waterloo announces its COVID-19 vaccine task force. Altogether there are 14 people on it. Officials detail some of their plans for distributing a vaccine locally, but note that the task force is in its very early stages.
Another COVID-19 outbreak is declared at the University of Waterloo’s Claudette Millar Hall after two cases are linked to one another.
Dec. 14: The first COVID-19 vaccines are administered in Canada, marking “V-Day.” Canada’s first recipient of a COVID-19 vaccine is 89-year-old Gisele Levesque, a resident at the Saint-Antoine long-term care home in Quebec City.
A lab in Waterloo works to develop its own COVID-19 vaccine, but one that is needle-free.
"Nasal sprays have been tested before," Nafiseh Nafissi says. "For a few vaccines, there is proof of concepts of their effectiveness and safety, and therefore we are trying to get the vaccine through this route."
Dec. 16: Local hospitals warn that they’re at a “tipping point” as the number of COVID-19 cases requiring care continues to surge. Infectious disease expert Dr. Abdu Sharkawy warns that we’ll see numbers “like we’ve never seen before” as hospitalizations and patients in the ICU continue to increase.
Dr. Wang warns that residents should prepare for the possibility of a lockdown as hospitals face additional strain.
Dec. 21: Premier Doug Ford announces the whole province will head into lockdown on Dec. 26. It will last until Jan. 23 in southern Ontario.
Waterloo Region reports a record-high 96 new COVID-19 cases for the second day in a row.
Officials say the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine have arrived at Grand River Hospital, two days ahead of schedule.
Dec. 22: Siham Ibrahim is one of 10 staff from Chartwell Elmira Long-Term Residence to receive the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in Waterloo Region.
Dec. 24: The region reports 100 new cases, the first time the increase has been in the triple digits. There are also a record 629 active cases in the region.
Dec. 26: A province-wide lockdown begins, closing non-essential businesses. The lockdown will last for at least four weeks in southern Ontario.
Dec. 29: Vaccine clinics start again after a break for the holidays. Officials expect to vaccinate 300 to 400 people a day in the coming weeks.
Dec. 30: The region sets a new record after cases in the region increase by 112.
Dec. 31: More than 1,000 health-care workers have received the COVID-19 vaccine in the region.
With files from CTVNews.ca
