What you need to know about COVID-19 in Waterloo region, April 11

A staff member atAR Goudie in Kitchener has tested positive for COVID-19, making it the 12th outbreak at a long-term care facility in Waterloo region.

A single positive test in a long-term care facility is considered an outbreak by public health officials.

Meanwhile at Forest Heights Reverain Kitchener, sevenmore residents have tested positive for COVID-19,bringing the total number to 25. Eleven staff members at the facility have also tested positive.

There have been four deaths in the region's care homes, the latest was reported Friday fromForest Heights Revera, according to public health.

11 deathsin Waterloo region

Eleven people have now died of COVID-19 in Waterloo region, according to numbers from public health on Saturday.

The number of reported positive casesin the region increased to 261. Of the total number of cases, 80 are health-care workers, or 31 per cent of the cases in Waterloo region. The workplace of 22 other cases has not yet been established.

• 2,927tests have been done.
• 85 cases have been marked as resolved.
• 30 people are in hospital.

The regionis not currently testing everyone with symptomsfor COVID-19. Public health has said there are certain groups who are prioritized for testing including healthcare workers, hospital patients and people living and working in long-term care homes.

But Waterloo Region Public Health says it has recently acquired more testing kits and planned to start increased testing as of Friday, with a particular focus on those in long-term care homes.

Stratford transit driver tests positive

A City of Stratford transit driver has tested positive for COVID-19 but the risk to the public is considered low,according to Huron Perth Public Health.

The driver became sick on April1 and began self-isolating at home, Huron Perth Public Health said. According to the health unit's news release, the worker drove the bus on the days leading up to their illness, but theCity of Stratford had already introduced "infection control measures to protect riders and other drivers."

Huron Perth Public Health says the driver's spouse is also a transit driver and is showing symptoms of COVID-19 their test results are pending. The public health unit says its investigation into the spouse has begun and the risk is also considered low.

As of Saturday, Huron Perth Public Health reported31 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and one death.

The City of Stratford is now consulting with Huron Perth Public Health to determine if any changes to the transit service are necessary going forward.

"The safety of our employees and the community as a whole is our top priority, so we want to make sure we're doing everything we can to reduce the risk of transmission,"said Stratford Mayor Dan Mathieson in a news release.

Local emergency services show thanks

On Friday evening, police, paramedics and fire services in Waterloo region showed their appreciation for health-care workers in a drive-by salute.

At least 18 emergency vehicles, including eight fire trucks, flashed their lights and hit their sirens as they passed by local hospitals.

Theystarted the evening outside St. Mary's General Hospital, continuingon to Grand River Hospital, Freeport Hospital, and ended at Cambridge Memorial Hospital.

Waterloo Regional Police Service spokesperson Cherri Greenosaid it was "just asmall thing that we could do to show how thankful we are for [health-care workers].