'Signs of 3rd wave' evident in Waterloo region: Dr. Wang

Waterloo region is "beginning to see signs of a third wave," medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang says.

Case rates in the region aren't as high as other areas of the province, but Wang said local numbers have remained higher than they were before the second wave.

"I expectcases in Waterloo regionto continue to climb in the next one to two weeks until the stay-at-home order can start to have an effect," Wang said Friday during herweekly media briefing.

She says it's critical people avoid any social gatherings with people outside their household.

"Please stay at home except for essential purposes," she said.

"We need to once again make the most of this stay-at-home order like we did last time," she said to the community."Thank you for all of your efforts."

76 newcases

Public health reported 76new cases of COVID-19 in the region as of Friday. It brought the total number of cases in April to 527 and since the start of the pandemic to 12,475.

There were 453 active cases, a rise of 27 cases from Thursday.

There were 22 people in hospital with COVID-19, a rise of three cases, with four people in the intensive care unit.

During the media briefing, Wang noted the only people counted in the hospitalizations section of the region's COVID-19 dashboard are those who are considered infectious. People who have recovered from the virus but still need to be in hospital for care are not included.

So far, 686 cases have screened positive for a variant of concern with 39 confirmed to be the B117 variant first detected in the U.K.

14 active outbreaks

There are 14 active outbreaks in the region. One is at a long-term care home where one staff member has tested positive for the virus.

There were two outbreaks linked to schools, including:

• Oneat Holy Rosary Catholic Elementary School in Waterloo with two cases. Two other outbreaks at the school have been declared over.
• One at St. Luke Catholic Elementary School in Waterloo with two cases.

The other outbreaks include:

• Two at a daycare centres: One with four cases, onewith two cases.
• One at St. Mary's General Hospital.
• One at the University of Waterloo with 38cases.
• One at a manufacturing workplace with eight cases.
• Two at construction sites: One with six cases, one with three cases.
• One at an optometrist officewith three cases.
• One at a place of worship with two cases.
• One at a food processor with two cases.
• One at a trades workplace with two cases.