Waterloo Region Public Health is reporting four more deaths attributed to COVID-19 despite a declining rate of hospitalizations, new cases and outbreaks in high-risk settings.
The deaths were two men in their 90s and two women in their 80s.
The region reported 64 new cases Friday to bring the total number of cases reported in 2024 to 224.
The number of patients with COVID in intensive care rose to eight, up five since last Friday, and the number of deaths this year is six.
Hospitalizations are steady at 31, down from a Jan. 2 peak of 47.
The seven day moving rate of new cases is 1.5 per 100,000.
COVID wastewater surveillance testing in Kitchener and Cambridge shows fragments of the virus in samples at among the highest rates it has ever been, but dropping gradually as the respiratory virus season declines.
Prevalence of the virus locally is consistent with provincial trends.
Rachel Dawe, lab manager of the COVID-19 wastewater surveillance initiative at the University of Waterloo, told CambridgeToday last week that immunity from vaccinations, or natural immunity from prior infection is helping to reduce disease transmission and leading to fewer severe symptoms that require hospitalization.
