Waterloo Region Record

COVID-19 indicators down to level similar to last fall in region

JOHANNA WEIDNER jweidner@therecord.com

“We need to continue with a cautious approach towards the lifting of public-health measures.” DR. HSIU-LI WANG MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH

WATERLOO REGION — For the first time in 2021, COVID-19 indicators in Waterloo Region have dropped to a level comparable to last October.

“We are seeing the impact of high vaccination rates combined with public-health measures in bringing COVID-19 under control,” medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang said during Friday’s briefing.

“Our community has made incredible strides.”

However, the good news came with a caution.

“There is still some degree of uncertainty, especially as we start spending more time indoors and especially if we gather with others. Be sure to continue to practise public-health precautions,” Wang said.

Regardless of any relaxed restrictions announced by Premier Doug Ford on Friday afternoon or in the coming months, Wang urged people to remain cautious and stick with practising public-health measures.

“We have to remember that Delta, even though it’s circulating at low levels right now, is very formidable in that it can rapidly start to spread in particular among unvaccinated groups of people and it can quickly then start to spread more generally in the population,” Wang said.

“Even though we have high rates of vaccination among those who are eligible, we do have approximately 160,000 residents who are not yet vaccinated, so Delta still has a real ability to spread if given the chance.”

Wang supports a slow and gradual reopening, especially with colder weather approaching when people will spend more time indoors.

“We need to continue with a cautious approach towards the lifting of public-health measures,” Wang said. “I think that has served us tremendously well in Ontario.”

And in this region, which is reporting relatively low rates and stable trends. The weekly incidence rate is at about 15 cases per 100,000.

“Our collective community actions have had a powerful effect against Delta,” Wang said.

Just eight COVID-19 cases were reported in the Friday update to reach a total of 19,970.

Variants-of-concern cases went up by 16 to 6,650, including 3,142 Delta variant cases.

Active cases went down by five 93. Hospitalizations were unchanged at nine, including three people in intensive care.

Outbreaks went down by two to one at a workplace or facility. Deaths remained at 302. A total of 615,117 tests have been done in the region.

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2021-10-23T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-10-23T07:00:00.0000000Z

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