Waterloo Region adds 61 new COVID-19 cases Monday as hospitalizations, outbreaks rise
Health officials in Waterloo Region logged 61 new COVID-19 infections Monday, continuing the trend of an alarming spike in cases and hospitalizations in the community.
The new batch of cases brings the region's total caseload since the pandemic began to 17,089, with 16,275 considered resolved, 530 considered active and 260 deaths.
One new COVID-19-related death was confirmed this past weekend, a woman in her 90s living in a long-term care home. The woman had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to health officials.
Hospitalizations also rose in the past 24 hours, up by three to 57. Of those, 22 people are receiving care in area intensive care units.
There are now 11 active COVID-19 outbreaks in Waterloo Region, the bulk of which are workplace or facility outbreaks. Monday, health officials announced an outbreak at Grand River Hospital's adult inpatient mental health unit at the KW campus.
DELTA VARIANT TAKING HOLD
Three more COVID-19 cases were confirmed as variants of concern in Monday's update, bringing the total number of variant cases to 3,565.
Confirmed cases of the Delta variant continue to grow in Waterloo Region, with health officials confirming late last week that Delta is now the dominant strain in the community.
Waterloo Region's variant breakdown is as follows:
- 3,069 are the Alpha variant, first identified in the United Kingdom and originally known as B.1.1.7
- 11 are Beta variant, originally detected in South Africa and previously referred as B.1.315
- 61 are the Gamma variant, initially discovered in Brazil and labelled as P.1
- 115 are the Delta variant, first found in India and previous called B.1.617
- 309 cases have had a mutation detected, but have not yet had a variant strain confirmed
VACCINE PUSH CONTINUES
Meanwhile, health partners across Waterloo Region administered another 5,730 COVID-19 vaccine doses on Sunday. More than 466,994 jabs have been put in arms since the vaccine rollout began.
More than 74.9 per cent of adults have now received at least one dose, while 18.98 per cent of residents 18 and older are fully vaccinated.
PROVINCE-WIDE SNAPSHOT
Across Ontario, health officials logged the lowest daily increase in COVID-19 infections since mid-September, adding 270 cases.
The province also recorded three more deaths in the past day, bringing the total death toll to 9,022.
Outside of Waterloo Region, most of the new cases were in Peel, with 42, and Toronto with 47.
Monday’s new infections bring Ontario’s total number of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases to 542,469, including deaths and recoveries.
With files from CTV Toronto.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.