Number of active COVID-19 outbreaks drops to 7 in Waterloo region

Waterloo region's public health officials reported seven new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday morning, but noted the number of active outbreaks dropped from 10 to 7.

Two outbreaks in long-term care homes in the region have been declared over, as has one in a congregate setting.

That leaves one outbreak in a congregate setting, one at a sports and fitness facility, one at a food and beverage workplace, one at a Kitchener high school and three at licensed child care centres.

Testing numbers jumped to more than 131,000 tests completed in the region since the beginning of the pandemic.Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, the region's acting medical officer of health,says the numbers rose dramatically because public health isusing a new database from the province to report the numbers. The new database is more accurate because itincludes all the labs processing the region's tests.

Right now, positive results are found in 1.3 per cent of tests done in the region, Dr. Wang said.

There are 156 active cases of COVID-19 with one person listed as being in hospital.

The number of people who have died due to COVID-19 remains at 120. Of the region's 1,713 positive cases since March, 1,437 have been marked as resolved.

The province reported554 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday.

Small bubbles

During a media briefing on Tuesday, the region's acting medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang asked people to "recommit to smallsocial bubbles" to help curb the spread of the virus.

She says while the limit for social bubbles is 10, "I would encourage those of us who can keep it smaller to do so."

She also reminded people that a social bubble of 10 people "is the same group all the time" and doesn't change from day-to-day or event-to-event.

Regional staff also noted one ticket was issued on Friday for observations made on Sept. 13 of people not remaining seated in a restaurant. Regional staff said Meltwich in Waterloo was handed the $750 ticket was for failing to comply with a section of the Reopening of Ontario Act.