Waterloo Region adds eight COVID-19 cases; 75 per cent of total population now fully vaccinated
Health officials in Waterloo Region logged eight new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday as the region passed another major milestone in the vaccine rollout.
As of Tuesday, more than 75 per cent of the region's entire population is now fully vaccinated.
Another 919 vaccine doses were administered in the region on Monday, bringing the total number of jabs put into arms to 891,886.
More than 78.1 per cent of the entire population has now received at least one dose.
Among the region's eligible population – residents 12 and older – 87.18 per cent are fully vaccinated and 90.77 per cent have received at least one dose.
Meanwhile, the eight new cases reported on Tuesday bring the region's cumulative total to 20,028, including 19,622 resolved infections, 100 active cases and 302 deaths.
Since the pandemic began, 618,801 COVID-19 tests have been processed in Waterloo Region. The community's positivity rate sits at 1.5 per cent, unchanged from Friday. The reproductive rate of the virus is 1.1, up from 1.0 on Friday.
Hospitalizations increased by two in Tuesday's update, up to 12. Intensive care unit admissions also rose by two, up to three.
Two COVID-19 outbreaks were declared on Tuesday. There are now four active outbreaks across the region.
Another 15 COVID-19 infections were confirmed as variant of concern cases on Tuesday.
The breakdown of Waterloo Region's 6,689 variant cases is as follows:
- 3,127 are the Alpha variant
- 21 are the Beta variant
- 98 are the Gamma variant
- 3,161 are the Delta variant
- 262 cases have had a mutation detected, but have not yet had a variant strain confirmed
Meanwhile, Ontario recorded its lowest daily case count in months on Tuesday.
Another 269 COVID-19 cases were logged in the province. The last time Ontario reported fewer than 300 new cases was Aug. 5.
The province's rolling seven-day average now sits at 364, down from 407 last Tuesday.
Ontario has confirmed 598,110 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.
With files from CTV Toronto.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
W5 EXCLUSIVE | Interviewing a narco hitman: my journey into Mexico's cartel heartland
W5 goes deep into the narco heartland to interview a commander with one of Mexico's most brutal cartels. W5's documentary 'Narco Avocados' airs Saturday at 7 pm on CTV.

Tyre Nichols' brutal beating by police shown on video
Memphis authorities released video footage Friday showing Tyre Nichols being beaten by police officers who held the Black motorist down and repeatedly struck him with their fists, boots and batons as he screamed for his mother and pleaded, ''I'm just trying to go home.'
OPINION | Selling a home? How to know if you qualify for a capital gains exemption
When selling a home, Canadians may be exempted from paying capital gains tax on a residential property -- if it's their principal residence. On CTVNews.ca, personal finance contributor Christopher Liew explains what's determined as a principal residence, and what properties are eligible for the exemption.
Aryna Sabalenka beats Elena Rybakina for Australian Open women's title
Aryna Sabalenka, a 24-year-old from Belarus, who won her first Grand Slam title by coming back to beat Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 at Melbourne Park on Saturday night, using 17 aces among her 51 total winners to overcome seven double-faults.
Inflation-focused Pierre Poilievre back to Parliament as health-care talks loom
With a deal under negotiation between Ottawa and provinces, and premiers invited to a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in early February, the issue remains one where the Tory leader's position appears somewhat murky, including to some inside his own party.
Palestinian gunman kills 7 near Jerusalem synagogue
A Palestinian gunman opened fire outside an east Jerusalem synagogue Friday night, killing seven people, including a 70-year-old woman, and wounding three others before he was shot and killed by police, officials said.
CRA head says it 'wouldn't be worth the effort' to review all ineligible pandemic payments
The head of the Canada Revenue Agency says it 'wouldn't be worth the effort' to fully review $15.5 billion in potentially ineligible pandemic wage benefit payments flagged by Canada's Auditor General.
Lifelong Toronto Maple Leafs fan fulfils dream of seeing first game, passes away next day
Mike Davy always dreamed of going to a Toronto Maple Leafs game, and once it finally happened, he passed away the night after.
How to fix a howitzer: U.S. offers help line to Ukraine troops
Using phones and tablets to communicate in encrypted chatrooms, a rapidly growing group of U.S. and allied troops and contractors are providing real-time maintenance advice -- usually speaking through interpreters -- to Ukrainian troops on the battlefield.