KITCHENER -- Public health officials reported eight new COVID-19 deaths in Waterloo Region on Wednesday.

According to the region's online COVID-19 dashboard, that's the highest number of deaths in a single day since the first wave of the pandemic.

The dashboard shows that the death toll at Cambridge Country Manor LTC rose from two to nine. In an email to CTV Kitchener, public health officials confirmed that seven of the deaths were among the long-term care home's residents.

Cambridge Memorial Hospital took over management of the care home last week.

The ages of the deceased ranged from the 70s to the 100s. In each case, public health officials said that COVID-19 contributed to the person's death but was not the underlying cause.

"The home did very well through wave one and credit to leadership, to the staff there for keeping everyone safe, so I think that's even harder for the staff," Cambridge Memorial Hospital President and CEO Patrick Gaskin said. "We're looking forward, it is also looking at what are the kinds of enhanced measures we need to put in place. Some of those enhanced measures may have not been there in the past, but we're looking at what will be different in order that we maintain and create and sustain a very safe environment for both staff and residents."

The hospital is focused on moving forward through the outbreak.

"I'm confident we're moving in the right direction," Gaskin said.

The eighth case was a man in his 40s with no underlying health conditions.

"Although groups such as older adults and those with pre-existing medical conditions are at greater risk, no one is immune to the development of infection, nor the possibility of serious complications and death," Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang said in an emailed statement.

Wednesday's update pushed the region's death toll to 155. A month ago, there had been a total of 124 deaths from the disease.

Officials also reported 94 new infections, the sixth day in a row that there has been an increase of 80 or more cases.

The region has now seen a total of 5,287 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. That number includes 4,518 resolved cases and the deaths.

That leaves 611 active local cases, a new record-high. Of those cases, 38 people are in hospital with COVID-19, including 13 people who are being cared for in the ICU.