17 new cases of COVID-19 in Waterloo region, outbreak at Cambridge elementary school

There are 17 new cases of COVID-19 in Waterloo region, public health reported Thursday.

That brings the total so far in November to 99 new cases. Since March, the region has reported 2,253 cases. Of those, 1,984, or 88 per cent, have been marked as resolved. There have been 121 COVID-related deaths in the region.

There are 148 active cases, public health reports, with eight people listed as being in hospital.

The province reported 998 new cases on Thursday.

Active outbreaks

There are seven active outbreaks in Waterloo region:

• Two are in long-term care homes. In both homes, the cases are in a singlestaff member at each facility and no one living in the homes hastested positive for the virus.
• There is one outbreak connected to a wedding. There are 18 cases in that outbreak, although public health has noted not all 18 people live in the region.
• There are two outbreaks at schools: four cases at Our Lady of Grace in Kitchener and two cases at Holy Spirit Catholic Elementary in Cambridge.
• There are two outbreaks at child care centres with one case at each.

On Thursday afternoon, the Waterloo Region District School Board announced an outbreak of COVID-19 had been declared at Avenue Road Public School in Cambridge. The outbreak impacts one classroom, where there are two cases. All the students in that class have been sent home. No other classes have been sent home, the board said.

"The WRDSB is working with Region of Waterloo Public Health to prevent further spread of COVID-19 in students, staff and the community," the board said on its website.