Waterloo Public Health reported 23 new positive test for the coronavirus on Thursday, marking the second straight day the agency has reported more than 20 new COVID-19 cases.
It brings the total number of cases in the area up to 19,785, while also pushing the rolling seven-day average number of new cases back up to 19.6. Seven days ago, the latter number was 20.6 but it had fallen to 16.6 as of Tuesday before bouncing back up.
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In addition, another 26 people have also been cleared of the virus, lifting the total number of resolved cases in the area to 19,347.
And for the fourth straight day, no new deaths were reported, leaving the death toll in the area at 300, including one victim in March.
This leaves the area with 135 active COVID-19 cases, down three from 24 hours earlier.
Area hospitals also have one more patient who is there in whole or part due to COVID-19 with four of the five total patients needing intensive care.
The area is also back down to five outbreaks after one came to an end at an unnamed manufacturing facility.
There have now been 869,251 vaccinations done in the area, which is 908 more than was reported on Monday.
Waterloo Public Health also says 430,246 area residents are now fully vaccinated, which is 690 more than it announced 24 hours earlier.
This means 73.06 per cent of all area residents are now fully vaccinated, a number that climbs to 84.85 per cent when once discounts those who are ineligible to be vaccinated.
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Ontario reports 587 new COVID-19 cases, 5 more deaths
Elsewhere, Ontario reported 587 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, as hospitalizations have gone down over the last 24 hours. The provincial case total now stands at 590,104.
Of the 587 new cases recorded, the data showed 349 were unvaccinated people, 27 were partially vaccinated people, 164 were fully vaccinated people and for 47 people the vaccination status was unknown.
According to Thursday’s report, 119 cases were recorded in Toronto, 55 in Peel Region, 45 in Windsor-Essex, 42 in York Region, 32 in Ottawa, 28 in Durham Region and 29 in Niagara Region.
All other local public health units reported fewer than 25 new cases in the provincial report.
The death toll in the province has risen to 9,776 as five more deaths were recorded. The report indicated one death was removed from the total due to data cleanup.
—with files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues