Waterloo Region adds 29 COVID-19 cases as test positivity rate dips
Waterloo Region reported 29 more COVID-19 cases on Friday as the area's positivity rate continues to decline.
The latest infections bring the region's total to 19,534, including 19,063 resolved cases, 297 deaths and 170 active cases.
Of the new cases reported Friday, 25 are linked to the past day and four are from previous reporting periods.
Five of the latest cases are among children nine or younger.
Since Tuesday, health officials in the region have processed 1,460 COVID-19 tests, bringing the number of tests completed since the pandemic began to 587,056.
Waterloo Region's seven-day rolling positivity rate sits at 2.2 per cent. Earlier this week, that number was 2.5 per cent.
The reproductive rate of the virus on Friday dropped to 0.9, dipping below 1.0 for the first time in weeks.
Hospitalizations increased by two in the past day, up to 10. There are currently six people receiving treatment in area intensive care units.
One new COVID-19 outbreak was declared in the last 24 hours. There are now 12 active outbreaks across the region.
Another 19 infections were confirmed as the Delta variant in Friday's report. Waterloo Region has now confirmed 6,281 variant of concern cases since the pandemic began.
The region's variant breakdown is as follows:
- 3,127 are the Alpha variant
- 21 are the Beta variant
- 98 are the Gamma variant
- 2,772 are the Delta variant
- 263 cases have had a mutation detected, but have not yet had a variant strain confirmed
Meanwhile, health partners in Waterloo Region have now administered 854,061 COVID-19 vaccine doses, with 1,575 jabs put into arms on Thursday.
More than 82.8 per cent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated and 88.5 per cent have received at least one dose.
Across Waterloo Region's entire population, 71.31 per cent are fully vaccinated and 76.21 per cent have received at least one dose.
Province-wide, health officials reported 727 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, which comes after four days of daily case counts below 700.
Of the new infections, 557 involved people who are either unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown. The remaining 170 cases involved fully vaccinated individuals.
Ontario has now confirmed 9,688 COVID-19 deaths and 582,635 cases since the pandemic began.
With files from CTV Toronto.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.