Waterloo Region adds 33 new COVID-19 cases on Friday
Health officials in Waterloo Region reported 33 new COVID-19 cases on Friday.
Of the latest cases, 31 are linked to the past day and two are from previous reporting periods.
There have now been 19,195 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Waterloo Region, including 18,705 resolved infections, 291 deaths and 194 active cases.
Hospitalizations rose by one in the past 24 hours, up to seven. There are currently eight people receiving treatment in area intensive care units.
The Region of Waterloo only counts active, infectious patients in hospitalization numbers, but counts both active and resolved cases in ICU figures. This means ICU numbers can sometimes be higher than hospitalizations.
The number of active outbreaks remains unchanged from Thursday, still sitting at four.
Another 1,265 COVID-19 tests were processed since Tuesday. A total of 576,723 tests have been completed in the region since the pandemic began.
Waterloo Region's positivity rate rose from 3.0 per cent on Tuesday to 3.1 per cent on Friday. The reproductive rate of the virus is 1.0.
Two more infections were confirmed as variant of concern cases in Friday's update, bringing the number of confirmed variant cases to 5,160.
Waterloo Region's variant breakdown is as follows:
- 3,134 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
- 1,651 are the Delta variant, first found in India and previously called B.1.617
- 256 cases have had a mutation detected, but have not yet had a variant strain confirmed
Meanwhile, health partners administered 1,132 COVID-19 vaccine doses on Thursday. Since the vaccine rollout began, 835,924 jabs have been put into arms.
More than 80.6 per cent of residents 12 and older are fully vaccinated and 87.05 per cent of the eligible population has received at least one dose.
Among Waterloo Region's entire population, 69.41 per cent are fully vaccinated and 74.96 per cent have received one dose.
Across Ontario, 848 new COVID-19 infections were reported on Friday.
Health Minister Christine Elliott said 659 of the new cases involve individuals who are not fully vaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status and 189 are in fully vaccinated individuals.
The province has now confirmed 572,978 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.
With files from CTV Toronto.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
New charges for Ont. woman who previously admitted to defrauding doulas
The Brantford, Ont. woman who was previously sentenced to house arrest after admitting to deceiving doulas has been charged again in connection to a new victim.