Drop in outbreaks, hospitalizations as 45 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Waterloo region Wednesday

There were 45 new cases of COVID-19 reported on Wednesday by Region of Waterloo Public Health.

It brought the total in March to 692 and since the start of the pandemic to 11,394, with 10,829 of those cases marked as resolved.

There were no new deaths reported.

The region reported a rise of three active cases to 310, but a drop in hospitalizations from 29 on Tuesday to 24 on Wednesday. The number of people in the intensive care unit, though, rose to 10 from nine the day before.

The region reported 229 cases have screened positive for a variant of concern with 17 confirmed to be the B117 variant first discovered in the U.K.

Ontario reported 1,508 more cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, oneyear to the day that anemergency was first declared in the province as the dangers of the global pandemic became clear.

2 school outbreaks

There are two outbreaks in schools:

• Highland Public School in Cambridge with six cases.
• Crestview Public School in Kitchener with four cases.

The Waterloo Region District School Board saidanother two cases instudents were found at Crestview Public School. The studentsare in the same cohort as a case reported earlier this week.

Public health said there are two cohorts currently self-isolating at the school.

As well, the board said "some additional students have been identified and directed to self-isolate" butnoted it is not a school-wide outbreak.

"Facilities services will continue to thoroughly clean the building, paying attention to common areas and touchpoints in accordance with public health guidance and recommendations," the board said in a notice of outbreak.

Wedding outbreak rises to 21 cases

There are 14 active outbreaks in the region including the two in schools and two in long-term care homes. There are three cases in each of the long-term care homes and the cases are in staff members.

An outbreak at a place of worship linked to a wedding has risen to 21 cases, but the Region of Waterloo COVID-19 dashboard has listed the outbreak as over.

Public health said the wedding outbreak isdeclared over with respect to the last exposure date because there is no ongoing exposure.

The other outbreaks are:

• Three in congregate settings: One with 128 cases over multiple locations, one with 36 cases and one death and one with four cases.
• Three at hospitals: One each at Grand River Hospital, Cambridge Memorial Hospital and St Mary's General Hospital.
• One at a Kiwanisindependent living facility with one case in a staff member.
• One at a licensed home childcare centre with five cases.
• One at an automobile sales and service business with four cases.
• One at a retail store with three cases.

Changes to reporting outbreaks

The region says it will now begin to name businesses or workplaces where there is an outbreak with50 or more cases or at least 15 per cent positivity in staff members and at least 20 cases, and when there is sustained transmission in a workplace and if there's no significant privacy concerns.

The change comes after a year of public health not naming locations of outbreaks unless it needed to let the public know about a potential risk and contact tracing might not be enough.

Dr. Ryan Van Meer, associate medical officer of health for the region, said in a release the chance will keep people better informed.

"Outbreaks are a reflection of what we see in the community, as cases increase we also expect to see increases in the number of workplace outbreaks," he said.

Cambridge County Manor exits voluntary management

Cambridge Country Manor saw a large outbreak with 60 cases in people living at the home, 70 in people who work there and 16 deaths. The home's outbreak was declared over on Jan. 28. Cambridge Memorial Hospital took over management of the home on Dec. 17.

The home, which is run by Caressant Care, announced Wednesday the voluntary management by Cambridge Memorial Hospital over the home has now ended.

The home says there have been changes. A trailer has been brought onto the property to screen people before they enter the building, including rapid antigen testing.

All four-bed rooms have been reduced to two people per room. As well, there are regular audits on hand washing and how staff wear and take off personal protective equipment.

Officials also noted the majority of staff and residents have been vaccinated with bothfirst and second dose of the Pfizer-BioTech vaccine.