Waterloo Region adds 18 COVID-19 cases Thursday as ICU admissions increase
Health officials in Waterloo Region are reporting 18 more COVID-19 cases on Thursday as intensive care unit admissions rise.
The latest cases – 17 are linked to Wednesday and one is from a previous reporting period – bring the region's total to 18,241, including 17,806 resolved cases and 281 deaths.
Active cases declined by five in the past 24 hours, now down to 144.
Meanwhile, hospitalizations and intensive care admissions rose in Thursday's report. The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 is 21, up by two. Five more people are receiving treatment in area intensive care units, up to 17.
Here's how hospitalizations break down between hospitals in Waterloo-Wellington:
- St. Mary's General Hospital: two in ICU, four in acute care
- Cambridge Memorial Hospital: three in ICU, one in acute care
- Grand River Hospital: five in ICU, two in acute care
- Guelph General Hospital: one in acute care
Hospital officials said the numbers show patients who are actively infectious with COVID-19. Other patients remain in hospital receiving treatment, but are no longer COVID-19-positive.
“The number of COVID-positive patients in our hospitals has started to decrease for the first time in recent memory. These numbers had been lagging behind the decrease in cases, which was to be expected. Other indicators, such as the amount of COVID-19 detected in our region’s wastewater, also appear to be trending in the right direction," St. Mary's Hospital president Lee Fairclough said in a news release. “Vaccinations have played a huge role in improving our situation in Waterloo Region. However, we do still see evidence of how transmissible this virus is, including through recent outbreaks in hospitals and other environments. We must continue to be diligent with masking and distancing as we move through Stage 3, until more members of our community are fully vaccinated so we can beat the delta variant and maintain the ground that we’ve gained.”
One more active COVID-19 outbreak was declared in Waterloo Region in the past day. There are now 12 active outbreaks across the region.
Another 13 infections were confirmed as variant of concern cases in Thursday's update. Since the pandemic began, there have been 4,576 lab-confirmed variant cases logged in Waterloo Region.
The region's variant breakdown is as follows:
- 3,122 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
- 96 are the Gamma variant, initially discovered in Brazil and labelled as P.1
- 1,079 are the Delta variant, first found in India and previously called B.1.617
- 258 cases have had a mutation detected, but have not yet had a variant strain confirmed
The region's vaccine rollout continues, with another 5,475 COVID-19 vaccine jabs into arms on Wednesday.
Health partners have now administered 720,842 doses since the vaccine rollout began.
More than 80.9 per cent of residents 12 and older have received at least one dose, while 61.83 per cent of the eligible population in Waterloo Region is fully vaccinated.
Province-wide, health officials reported 185 new COVID-19 cases and seven deaths on Thursday.
Ontario's daily COVID-19 case count has remained below 200 for two weeks straight.
The seven-day average for the number of cases reported is 155. Last Thursday, that number was 154.
With files from CTV Toronto.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Manitoba mom praises quick-thinking fire department for freeing daughter stuck in playground equipment
A Manitoba mother is praising firefighters for their quick work in helping her daughter who got stuck at a playground in Lorette, Man.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.