Region reports 26 new COVID cases Sunday

Region of Waterloo Public Health reported 26 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday. That compares with 28 on Saturday.

The overall case total is now at 18,004.

One new COVID-related death has been confirmed, bringing the local death toll to 278.

Hospitalizations remain stable with 21 patients being treated in a local hospital --- 17 are in intensive care.

The active caseload is down by 19 to 284.

Over 80 per cent of adults in the region have received at least one dose of the vaccine, which works out to over 652,000 doses. Over 52 per cent of residents 18 and over (240,000 plus) have been fully vaccinated.

Here are some other updates from the region's dashboard: 

• 4,201 cases have screened positive for variants of concern - 3,108 are the Alpha variant (first found in U.K.) - 13 are linked to the Beta variant (first detected in South Africa) - 704 are linked to the Delta strain (first located in India) - 62 are linked to the Gamma variant (first found in Brazil) - 314 cases where a mutation has been detected
• 17,437 resolved cases (97 per cent)
• Over 524,400 tests have been done

There are currently 17 active outbreaks in the region. Nine are in workplaces:

• Health services 3 (2 cases)
• Congregate setting 46 (1 case)
• Manufacturing/industrial 39 (13 cases)
• Trades and related services 18 (3 cases)
• Grand River Hospital (5S Clinical teaching unit)
• Community support services 1 (6 cases)
• Automobile sales/service (2 cases)
• St. Mary’s General Hospital (Fourth floor)
• Columbia Forest LTC (2 cases in residents, one death)
• Trades & Related Services 17 (5 cases)
• Manufacturing/Industrial 38 (5 cases)
• Zora Srpski Dom Retirement Home (8 cases in residents, 3 cases in staff)
• Farm 3 (22 cases)
• Marian Residence Retirement Home (4 cases in staff, 2 cases in residents, one death)
• Retail 12 (7 cases)
• The Village of Winston Park long-term care (14 cases in residents, 6 in staff, 3 deaths)
• Congregate setting 42 - multiple locations (115 cases)

Meantime, the province reported 166 new cases on Sunday.

The rest of the provincial COVID-19 totals are posted below:

• 6.8 million residents fully vaccinated --- 16.99 million doses have been administered
• 547,149 total cases
• 536,306 resolved cases
• 130 people are in hospital - 202 are in intensive care (***This number includes patients who are in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) levels 2 and 3 flex, neonatal, pediatric and adult. It includes people who are on ventilators and people who are not***) - 107 are on a ventilator
• 9,251 deaths (6 new)
• 19,651 tests completed Saturday --- Over 16.18 million since January 15, 2020