New COVID-19 cases since March top 4,000 in Waterloo region

The number of new COVID-19 cases reported in Waterloo region topped 4,000 on Monday.

There were 60 new cases reported by Region of Waterloo Public Health, bringing the total since March to 4,047. So far in December there have been 461 cases of the virus reported.

There are 497 active cases in the region with 26 people in hospital and 11 of those people in the intensive care unit.

The number of people who have died after testing positive for COVID-19 remained at 127.

Waterloo region remained in the "red zone" of the province's COVID-19 framework.

On Monday, Ontario reported a single-day high of 1,925 new COVID-19 cases.

Also on Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced several hundred thousand doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be available in Canada before the end of the year. The shots will primarily earmarked for long-term care home residents and people working in those facilities.

22 active outbreaks

There are 22 active outbreaks in the region, including five at long-term care or retirement homes. All the cases at those homes are in staff members and no one living at the homes has tested positive for the virus.

The outbreak at Village Manor in St. Jacobs continues, with a total of 32 cases: 12 in staff members and 20 in people who live at the assisted living facility. One person's death has been linked to that outbreak.

All three hospitals in the region have outbreaks: Grand River Hospital in Kitchener has two outbreaks, St. Mary's General Hospital in Kitchener has one outbreak and Cambridge Memorial Hospital has one outbreak and a second situation where they're monitoring a unit after two staff members tested positive.

Other outbreaks included:

• One at a childcare centre with two cases.
• One at KidsAbility with two cases.
• One at a pharmacy with three cases.
• One at Cambridge Fire with five cases.
• One related to an ice skating class with three cases.
• One at a trades business with three cases.
• One at a construction workplace with two cases.
• Three at congregate settings: One with three cases, the other two have a single case each.

2 outbreaks at schools

A new outbreak was declared at Franklin Public School in Kitchener on the weekend after a student tested positive. That student was in the same cohort as a staff member who had tested positive earlier last week. The class as well as a second staff member had been advised to self-isolate and watch for symptoms, the Waterloo Region District School Board says.

The other outbreak is at Elmira District Secondary School where there are two cases.

Linwood Public School has been closed as a precautionary measure after a rise in cases in the region's Old Order Mennonite communities. There are currently four cases at the school.

The school was closed as of Monday morning and students were told learning would continue online. Teachers and staff can still access the school, though.