WATERLOO REGION — The incidence rate of COVID-19 in the region continued a slow decline over the weekend, and has now reached the lowest level since last October.
According to the latest numbers released Sunday by Waterloo Region Public Health, the seven-day moving average rate of cases per 100,000 population fell to 2.5 cases per 100,000.
Although the incidence of COVID in the region is still three times higher than the provincial rate of 0.8 cases per 100,000, it’s a considerable improvement over early July, when new infections in the region were being reported at six times the provincial rate.
Sunday’s incidence rate is the lowest the region has seen since Halloween.
Part of that decline is attributable to vaccination, as more people get shots in arms.
As of Saturday, 81.36 per cent of the region’s residents over age 12 have received at least one dose, while 64.63 per cent have been fully vaccinated.
But it’s clear that it’s becoming more challenging to reach the remaining residents who haven’t yet been vaccinated.
The pace of daily vaccinations has dropped by almost half since peaking July 11. This mirrors a provincial decline as those eager to get immunized have done so.
The vast majority of shots given in July have been second doses to complete full vaccinations. Only 510 first doses were administered Saturday out of 4,969 given to regional residents, some of them from a new mobile vaccination bus that visited the St. Jacobs market.
The number of positive cases in the region increased by nine, for a total of 18,280 since the pandemic began. It’s the first time since Oct. 26 that the daily increase in cases has been in single digits.
Other indicators also showed positive trends.
The number of active cases dropped overnight by 10 to 124.
The number of outbreaks decreased by one, for a total of eight outbreaks.
The number being treated for COVID in hospital remained steady at 13, while the number of those who have died from the virus was also unchanged at 282. Thirteen people were being treated in intensive care, unchanged from Saturday.
The number of variants of concern remained steady at 4,579.
A total of 537,724 test have been carried out in the region.
