Nearly one-third of region's COVID-19 cases in 2020 came this month

Region of Waterloo Public Health reported 78 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday.

That brings the total in November to 1,063. With 3,217 cases since March, that means one-third of all the region's cases have been reported this month.

"After a period of rapid acceleration our cases rates continue to remain high," Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, the region's medical officer of health said in a statement. "Today we are reporting our highest day of new reported cases. Waterloo region residents are reminded that COVID-19 should be considered to be widely circulating in our community right now."

The region reports there are 404 active cases in the region and 20 active outbreaks.

There are currently 22 people in hospital and 11 people in the intensive care unit.

Another person's death has been linked to COVID-19, the region reported, bringing the total to 124. The person who died was a man in his 80s who had been hospitalized and had other contributing health factors, Wang said. The man had been a resident at Village Manor in St. Jacobs, which is currently under outbreak.

"My thoughts are with his family and loved ones," she said.

"As our case numbers continue to rise, I am asking residents to only go out for essential purposes and to limit their social interactions to only those within their own households. To turn the tide of rising case rates, we need to dramatically reduce our non-essential social interactions now," Wang said.

No lockdown in region — yet

On Wednesday, Wang issued a section 22 order for malls and retail stores to limit the number of people allowed inside at a time in order to allow for proper physical distancing between customers. The order comes into effect Friday at 12:01 a.m.

During a media briefing Wednesday afternoon, Ontario's chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams said he "applauded" Wang for issuing the order.

"That's their job, that's what's in the legislation, that's the requirement of their position in their local area," he said of local health officials releasing guidelines specific to their own communities.

He was also asked whether there have been talks about Waterloo region moving into lockdown and said no.

"Reviewing the numbers, we had no one potentially entering a lockdown," he said. "I think they're all concerned, especially those that are in the 'red zone,' are they getting ready to move into that, and we had no health unit to consult at this stage that we saw was entering into the lockdown further."

Ontario reported 1,373 cases of COVID-19 and 35 more deaths linked to the illness on Wednesday.

20 active outbreaks

There are 20 active outbreaks in the region. Two of those are in long-term care or retirement homes.

There is also one outbreak of 23 cases at Village Manor in St. Jacobs. The assisted living facility is not considered a retirement home but rather a congregate setting. The home appealed an order issued by the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority to have its licence revoked earlier this year, then ceased operating as a retirement home as defined in the Retirement Homes Act.

St. Mary's General Hospital has been ordered to take over management of Village Manor.

There is also an outbreak at a "racquet sports-related" facility where there are 22 cases. The region has not identified the location.

The other outbreaks are:

• One congregate setting with two cases.
• Cambridge Memorial Hospital's wing B, level 4 medicine unit.
• One at a food processing workplace with five cases.
• One related to hockey with nine cases.
• Four at food and beverage services (such as restaurants): Two with four cases each, one with three cases and one with two cases.
• Four at manufacturing workplaces: Three with three cases each and one with two cases.
• One related to a dance class with two cases.
• One in an office setting with two cases.

Also among the active outbreaks are two at schools: one at Centennial Public School in Waterloo with three cases and one at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Elementary School in Kitchener with two cases.