Waterloo Region adds 15 new COVID-19 cases; suspected Delta cases now being reported
Waterloo Region added 15 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, as the health unit logged hundreds of confirmed or suspected Delta variant cases as part of a reporting update.
Of the 15 new infections, 12 are linked to the past day and three are from previous reporting periods.
Six of the latest cases are in youth between the ages of 10 and 19.
Waterloo Region has now confirmed 19,287 COVID-19 cases, including 18,802 resolved infections, 189 active cases and 292 deaths.
Another 824 cases were confirmed as variant of concern cases in Tuesday's update – all of which are linked to the Delta variant.
Health officials in Waterloo Region are now including all suspected Delta variant cases in addition to confirmed cases on the health unit's COVID-19 dashboard.
The change does not reflect an increase in the number of new cases, just how they are reported and classified.
The health unit has now logged 6,034 variant of concern cases since the pandemic began.
Waterloo Region's variant breakdown is as follows:
- 3,128 are the Alpha variant, first identified in the United Kingdom and originally known as B.1.1.7
- 21 are the Beta variant, originally detected in South Africa and previously referred to as B.1.315
- 98 are the Gamma variant, initially discovered in Brazil and labelled as P.1
- 2,524 are the Delta variant, first found in India and previously called B.1.617
- 263 cases have had a mutation detected, but have not yet had a variant strain confirmed
Meanwhile, another 2,355 COVID-19 tests were processed in the region since Friday. Since the pandemic began, 579,078 tests have been processed.
As of Tuesday, the region's seven-day average positivity rate is 2.9 per cent, down from 3.1 per cent on Friday.
The reproductive rate of the virus is 1.1, up from 1.0 on Friday.
Hospitalizations in Waterloo Region increased by two in the past 24 hours, up to 13. There are currently nine people receiving treatment in area intensive care units.
One new COVID-19 outbreak was declared in Tuesday's update, bringing the total number of active outbreaks up to six.
Since the vaccine rollout began, 840,486 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Waterloo Region, with 1,223 jabs put into arms on Monday.
Among residents 12 and older, 81.14 per cent are fully vaccinated and 87.43 per cent have received at least one dose.
Across Waterloo Region's entire population, 69.87 per cent are fully vaccinated and 75.29 per cent have received at least one dose.
Province-wide, 577 new COVID-19 cases and seven deaths were reported on Tuesday.
Of the new infections reported Tuesday, 452 cases involved people who are either unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or their vaccination status is unknown and 125 infections involved people who are fully vaccinated.
Ontario has now confirmed 9,624 COVID-19-related deaths and 575,796 cases since the pandemic began.
With files from CTV Toronto.
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