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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.