4 new COVID-related deaths reported in Waterloo region, 90 new cases

There were four more COVID-related deaths reported in Waterloo region on Tuesday by public health.

That brings the total number of deaths in the region since March to 147.

As well, there were 90 new cases, bringing the total in December to 1,607. Since March, there have been 5,193 cases, meaning December accounts for 31 per cent of all new cases locally.

On Tuesday, there were 598 active cases in the region with 40 people in hospital and 12 of thosein the intensive care unit. There were also 30 active outbreaks in the region.

Ontario reported 2,202 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday.

First workers to be immunized

Tuesday also marked the first day of a clinic to immunize local workers with early doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Workers fromChartwell ElmiraRetirement Community were scheduled to be the first people immunized Tuesday afternoon at Grand River Hospital.

The hospital received enough doses to immunize 2,400 people.

30 active outbreaks

There were 30 active outbreaks in the region on Tuesday, with nine in long-term care or retirement homes.

Five of the homes hada single case in a person who works at the facility. One home hadthree cases in staff members and one home hada single case in both a worker and a person who lives at the facility.

There were two larger outbreaks. One wasat Village of Winston Park in Waterloo where 23 people who live at the home and 20 people who work there tested positive for COVID-19. One death has been linked to this outbreak.

The other outbreak wasat Cambridge Country Manor long term care home, where 56 people who live there and 50 people who work there tested positive for the virus. Two deaths werelinked to this outbreak.

Other outbreaks include:

• One at the independent living facility Waterloo Heights with one case in a resident and one death.
• One at a congregate setting with one case.
• Five at manufacturing workplaces: Two with eight cases and three with four cases each.
• Two at trades workplaces: One with 10 cases, one with three cases.
• One at a warehouse with 10 cases.
• One at a dental office with eight cases.
• One at a construction workplace with two cases.
• One at Wilfrid Laurier University with two cases.

There were three schools in the region with outbreaks on Tuesday: Lincoln Heights Public School withthree cases whileHillcrest Public School and Franklin Public School had two cases each. An outbreak at Monsignor Doyle Catholic Secondary School was declared over on Monday.

All three hospitals in Waterloo region have declared outbreaks: Grand River Hospital with two, St. Mary's General Hospital withtwo and Cambridge Memorial withone.