Waterloo Region adds 26 COVID-19 cases on Friday
Health officials in Waterloo Region recorded 26 new COVID-19 cases in Friday's update, as the region's test positivity rate continues to rise.
Of the new infections, 21 are linked to the past day and five are from previous reporting periods.
The region has now logged 20,083 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, including 19,659 resolved infections, 120 active cases and 303 deaths.
Meanwhile, nearly 2,000 COVID-19 tests were processed in the region since Tuesday, bringing the total number of completed tests to 620,848.
As of Friday, the region's seven-day rolling positivity rate sits at 1.7 per cent, up from 1.5 per cent on Tuesday.
The reproductive rate of the virus remains unchanged at 1.1.
Hospitalizations increased by one on Friday, up to 12. Intensive care unit admissions decreased by one, down to two.
Another two COVID-19 outbreaks were declared in Friday's update. There are now seven active outbreaks across Waterloo Region.
Twenty-four more infections were identified as variant of concern cases on Friday.
The breakdown of the region's 6,728 lab-confirmed variant cases is as follows:
- 3,127 are the Alpha variant
- 21 are the Beta variant
- 98 are the Gamma variant
- 3,220 are the Delta variant
- 262 cases have had a mutation detected, but have not yet had a variant strain confirmed
On Thursday, another 682 COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered in the region, bringing the total number of jabs put into arms to 894,129.
More than 87.4 per cent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated and 90.90 per cent have received at least one dose.
Among the region's entire population, 75.33 per cent is fully vaccinated and 78.28 per cent have received at least one dose.
Region of Waterloo Public Health is now reporting the impact of COVID-19 vaccines in the region on its dashboard.
Between Dec. 22, 2020 and Oct. 27, 2021, public health says vaccines have prevented 6,966 cases, 742 hospitalizations, 785 cases with severe outcomes and 136 deaths.
In that same period, 721 of the region's hospital admissions have been among unvaccinated individuals. Another 86 have been among partially vaccinated people and 28 among fully vaccinated people.
Only four ICU admissions since Dec. 22, 2020 have been among fully vaccinated individuals, with 22 in partially vaccinated people and 164 among unvaccinated people.
Province-wide, health officials reported 419 new COVID-19 cases on Friday and no new deaths.
Ontario has confirmed 599,259 COVID-19 cases and 9,865 virus-related deaths since the pandemic began.
With files from CTV Toronto.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Moe 'will respond' to CRA, insists Saskatchewan has 'paid in full' amid carbon tax audit
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says his government 'will respond' to the Canada Revenue Agency when it concludes its audit of the province, but that his position is Saskatchewan doesn't owe Ottawa any money.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Sword-wielding man attacks passersby in London, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring 4 others
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a northeast London suburb Tuesday, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring four other people, British authorities said.
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
WATCH Arnold Schwarzenegger spotted filming in Elora, Ont.
The name of the project has not been officially released although it’s widely believed to be the Netflix series FUBAR.
BREAKING Hosting Vancouver's FIFA World Cup games could cost half a billion dollars
Hosting seven games in Vancouver during the 2026 FIFA World Cup could cost more than half a billion dollars, according to an updated estimate provided Tuesday.
Conservatives push motion calling for Carney to testify, say it's about 'accountability'
The federal Conservatives made good on their promise to push for former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney to testify before MPs, resulting in a heated political debate in Ottawa on Tuesday.