Waterloo Region logs 12 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday; 60 per cent of eligible population now fully vaccinated
Waterloo Region is reporting 12 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, as active cases and hospitalizations continue to decline.
The 12 latest infections bring the region's total since the pandemic began to 18,223, including 17,780 resolved cases and 281 deaths.
Active cases dropped by 15 in the past 24 hours, down to 149.
Hospitalizations also declined in Wednesday's update, down by four to 19. Of those, 12 people are receiving treatment in area intensive care units, down by one from Tuesday's report.
One active COVID-19 outbreak was declared resolved on Wednesday. There are now 11 active outbreaks across Waterloo Region.
Meanwhile, health officials administered another 6,361 COVID-19 vaccine doses on Tuesday, bringing the total number of doses given out to 715,363.
More than 80.8 per cent of residents 12 and older have received at least one dose, while more than 60.88 per cent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated.
In Wednesday's update, another 56 COVID-19 cases were confirmed as the Delta variant. Waterloo Region has confirmed 4,563 variant of concern cases since the pandemic began.
The region's variant breakdown is as follows:
- 3,122 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
- 96 are the Gamma variant, initially discovered in Brazil and labelled as P.1
- 1,065 are the Delta variant, first found in India and previously called B.1.617
- 259 cases have had a mutation detected, but have not yet had a variant strain confirmed
Across Ontario, health officials reported 135 new COVID-19 cases and four additional deaths.
Since the pandemic began, there have been 548,609 lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 537,975 recoveries and 9,300 deaths.
The province-wide positivity rate currently sits at 0.8 per cent.
Wednesday marked the 13th day in a row with daily case numbers in Ontario below 200.
With files from CTV Toronto.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.