Region of Waterloo reports 59 new cases of COVID-19

KITCHENER — There have been 59 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Waterloo Region.

The Saturday afternoon online dashboard update shows 29 more cases that have been identified as variants of concern. There are two more B.1.1.7 variants as well, which was first identified in the U.K.

Another 43 cases are considered resolved, while the active case count in the area has gone up by 16.

The number of related deaths has remained unchanged.

One less person is being treated for the virus in hospital, while the number of those in the ICU remains the same.

This brings Waterloo Region’s COVID-19 totals to 11,762 confirmed cases, 365 variants of concern, 25 B.1.1.7 variants, 11,238 resolved, 241 deaths, 277 active cases, 21 hospitalizations, and seven people being treated in the ICU.

The number of active COVID-19 facility outbreaks in the area has remained the same at 17, but changes have been reported on the dashboard.

Outbreaks have been declared at Riverbend Place Retirement Residence (third floor, cases in one staff member and one resident), St. John Catholic Elementary School (two cases), and in the 3 East Unit at St. Mary’s General Hospital.

Outbreaks have been declared over at an unnamed hair salon (two cases), Crestview Public School (six cases), and St. Andrew’s Terrace LTC (three cases in staff).

In Ontario, health officials are reporting more than 2,400 new COVID-19 infections as hospitalizations related to the disease reach their highest level since early February.

The 2,453 cases logged Saturday represent an increase over Friday’s total when 2,169 cases were recorded. A day earlier, the province added 2,380 new cases, though 280 of those were added due to a “data catch-up process.”

This brings Ontario’s lab-confirmed COVID-19 case total to 340,692, including 315,865 recoveries and 7,308 deaths.

At least 16 of those deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours, according to the government.