As of Tuesday, 44 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported by Region of Waterloo Public Health.
There are 230 active cases, with five people listed as hospitalized and 14 active outbreaks in the region.
Record-high numbers were reported in Ontario on Nov. 10 with 1,388 new COVID-19 cases and 15 deaths linked to the virus.
Six COVID-19 cases were confirmed in an outbreak linked to a Kitchener restaurant on Monday.
According to the release issued by the region, “approximately 175 individuals may have been exposed” to COVID-19 at Algarve Restaurant.
A new outbreak was declared at the University of Waterloo with two confirmed cases in students who live in Claudette Millar Hall.
UW has on-campus COVID-19 testing available for students, faculty and people living in the same household.
The last COVID-19 case that was confirmed in a Wilfrid Laurier University student was on Nov. 4. The student lives in 260 Regina Residence on the Waterloo campus and is currently self-isolating.
The Region of Waterloo released an infographic to show how a single case of COVID-19 can spread to other people within a matter of days.
The region has been moved from “green” into the “yellow/protect” category of Ontario’s revised COVID-19 framework.
The change will see new measures put into place with local businesses, potential fines if COVID-19 rules are broken, enhanced education and more restrictive policies put into place than what was seen with the green level of local operations.
Bars and restaurants will have restrictions on the times they are permitted to open and gyms will have stricter guidelines on the spacing of patrons who use their facilities.
The change is expected to last at least a month and was done in response to the increase in weekly cases seen throughout the region.
According to the region’s acting medical officer of health, Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, two per cent of COVID-19 tests in the area have been coming back positive.
Several COVID-19 cases are being spread by close contact with individuals who don’t live together in the same household.
It’s essential for people to continue to respect the two-meter social distancing recommendations advised by Public Health, as well as wearing a mask when they are around others, especially if they are in close proximity. Staying home and self-isolating are also advised if COVID-19 symptoms are experienced in order to reduce the chances of spreading the virus.
“We all have a role to play,” Public Health said in a tweet posted on Nov. 6.
