6 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Waterloo region as testing jumps
There are six new cases of COVID-19 in Waterloo region, with four of them in long-term care or retirement homes.
Three of the cases are at Forest Heights Revera in Kitchener, which now has a total of 174 cases in people living there, 68 cases in people who work there and 50 deaths.
Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang is the region's acting medical officer of health and says she recently recommended more testing be done for certain residents at Forest Heights.
"We have done a lot of additional testing at Forest Heights," she said. "These are new cases so it is something that the health system partners and our team will be looking into."
The other case is at Chartwell Queen's Square retirement home in Cambridge, where one person living there has tested positive for the novel coronavirus and an outbreak has now been declared. Under provincial guidelines, an outbreak of COVID-19 is declared when just one person living or working in a facility tests positive.
The total number of positive cases of COVID-19 in the region since the pandemic began rose to 1,095 in numbers released Wednesday morning by Region of Waterloo Public Health. Of those, 307 have been in long-term care and retirement homes.
There were no new deaths reported on Wednesday. The region has seen 113 COVID-related deaths since March.
As well, 775 cases have been listed as resolved, an increase from 767 reported on Tuesday.
Also reported Wednesday:
- A total of 16,540 tests have been done in the region.
- 26 people are in hospital. This does not include people moved from Forest Heights Revera into area hospitals.
- 291 of people presumed or confirmed positive are health-care workers, making up 27 per cent of cases.
- There are 12 active outbreaks in long-term care and retirement homes in the region.
The region also lists how people contracted the virus.
- 170 cases are from close contact, a rise from 168 cases reported on Tuesday.
- 254 cases are from community spread, which did not change.
- 629 cases are from outbreak, up four.
- 42 cases are from travel, which did not change.
The numbers reported Tuesday morning by public health are accurate as of 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Ontario reported 292 additional cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. The province also announced it is extending its emergency orders to at least June 9.
Testing numbers jump
The region reported 16,450 tests had been done, a jump of 495 tests from what was reported Tuesday.
Tuesday also saw a significant jump in testing, with 409 tests over Monday. Prior to this week, the region averaged between 80 to 150 tests a day.
On Sunday, Premier Doug Ford encouraged more people to get tested if they thought they had symptoms or had been in contact with someone with symptoms. Regional assessment centres are asking people to make appointments for testing to avoid line-ups, waiting in crowded waiting rooms and other delays.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health is reporting 370 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the area it covers. The health unit is only reporting confirmed cases and not presumptive cases. Presumptive cases are swabs that have initially tested positive but the results need to be confirmed at a provincial lab.
The number of resolved cases remained at 241 while the number of deaths also remained at 34.
Long-term home outbreaks
There are currently 12 active outbreaks in long-term care and retirement homes in Waterloo region.
Chartwell Queen's Square retirement home in Cambridge has been added to the outbreak list after one person living there tested positive for COVID-19.