Another COVID-19 death, but third wave is easing

— Another death due to COVID-19 was reported over the weekend by Region of Waterloo public health.

Dr. Ryan Van Meer, associate medical officer of health, said COVID-19 was a “contributing factor” in the death of a man in his 50s.

“I wish to express my deep sympathy to the family and loved ones of the individual,” he said in an email.

The COVID-19 death toll since the pandemic began has now reached 254.

There were 186 new cases of the virus reported over Saturday and Sunday.

Many of these reported cases were from months ago and are just now being added to the Waterloo tally as part of a data cleanup.

The region is currently seeing an average of 58 new cases per day. This matches early April when the latest lockdown was imposed. New cases have declined by 40 per cent in the past two weeks based on a seven-day average.

Active cases of the disease have declined to 491 from 654 two weeks ago, a reduction of 25 per cent.

There is more welcome news.

Ontario vaccinations remain on pace to see 65 per cent of adults receive at least one vaccine dose by May 31

The virus is currently spreading to fewer people than it has since February.

The reproduction number — the number of people that one infected person will spread the virus to — has stayed below 1 since April 26, pointing to a virus that is under control.

Variants of COVID-19 are driving new infections, accounting for 71 per cent of new daily cases at the latest count. The total count of variant cases has reached 2,331.

Ontario vaccinations remain on pace to see 65 per cent of adults receive at least one vaccine dose by May 31. Locally, vaccinations are slightly behind the provincial pace, but are not updated on weekends.

Just under 39 per cent of all Ontarians have received at least one vaccine dose. Less than three per cent of the population is fully vaccinated with two doses.

There are 46 patients hospitalized in this region (down from 70 on April 24) including 35 who require intensive care. This total includes patients from outside this region who were transferred to local hospitals.

There are 15 active outbreaks, including 10 in workplaces.

Total infections have now reached 14,807 since the pandemic began including 14,046 recoveries.