The region’s residents continue to embrace vaccination against the coronavirus, but public health officials are encouraging even greater rates.
More than 76 per cent of those over the age of 12 have been fully inoculated, exceeding the original target of 75 per cent. Given the highly contagious Delta variant of the virus, there’s a push to reach 90. At midweek, 84 per cent of residents had received at least one dose of a vaccine.
“Getting the vaccine is your best defense against COVID-19. It greatly reduces your risk for serious outcomes. The greatest risk for COVID-19 serious illness and death remains in those who are not yet vaccinated. Across Ontario the risk of getting COVID is eight times higher for individuals who are not vaccinated compared to those who are fully vaccinated,“ said medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang at the August 13 weekly pandemic briefing.
At midweek, there were 137 active cases in the region, down slightly from 143 a week earlier. There are currently 16 people hospitalized due to the virus. Officials are monitoring outbreaks in four locations, down from 11 at the same point last week.
Two people succumbed to the disease in the past week, bringing the total to 287 since the pandemic began.
Even with the downward trend, officials warn the public to continue to take precautions amid fears of a fourth wave.
“We can think of public health measures and vaccines like traffic laws and seatbelts and air bags. Traffic laws work to reduce the risk of collision, seatbelts and airbags work to reduce the risk of injury in the event of a collision – they work together to reduce your overall risk. That’s what we’re doing with public health measures and vaccine, they work together to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and reduce the risk of severe outcomes if you do become infected,” said Wang.
Some 40,000 to 50,000 people in Waterloo Region still need their second dose. The region is calling on those who have received one shot to get the other as soon as possible after the 28-day waiting period.
“Effective September 7, our plan is to move away from appointments completely and run our clinics as walk-in only,” said Vickie Murray, director of regional vaccine services.
As the fourth wave continues to hit the region and the rest of Ontario, officials reminded residents that getting fully vaccinated and keeping up public health measures are still the best way to reduce the spread.
The numbers are significantly lower in neighbouring Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, with the midweek total at 33 active cases, down from 39 a week earlier. There have been a total of 126 fatalities since the pandemic began, unchanged over the past month.
The province continues to see growth in the total number of cases, and at a higher rate than in recent weeks, with the tally now at 556,000, up about a 3,000 in the past week.
There have been 9,428 deaths attributed to the virus – up 19 over the week before – representing a mortality rate of 1.7 per cent. The ministry reports 543,077 cases (97.6 per cent) have been resolved.
The latest numbers from Health Canada show 19,711 active cases nationwide, up about 7,000 from a week earlier. The cumulative total of confirmed cases now stands at 1,457,698, with 26,719 related deaths, a mortality rate of 1.8 per cent.
