Hamilton, Ont., reported eight more cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday for a local total of 468 cases.
Four hundred and sixty-two are confirmed positive cases of the coronavirus with seven probable cases.
There have now been 23 deaths connected to COVID-19 in Hamilton, according to public health.
The two new deaths were an 81-year-old man at Cardinal Retirement Residences and an 83-year-old man with underlying health conditions at St. Peter’s Hospital. Both passed away on May 4.
Hamilton public health has since declared the outbreak at the palliative care unit in St. Peter’s Hospital over, after five patients and five staff were confirmed to have COVID-19.
“Point prevalence testing of all patients at St. Peter’s was completed last Thursday as part of Hamilton Health Sciences’ expanding surveillance practice. No other patients in the hospital have tested positive at present,” said spokesperson Lillian Badzioch.
On Wednesday, the city reported 11 outbreaks with the latest at Wentworth Lodge, where three residents tested positive for coronavirus.
Institutional outbreaks continue at three long-term care homes (Heritage Green, Wentworth Lodge and Dundurn Place Care Centre), and two retirement residences (St. Elizabeth’s Villa and St. Joseph’s Villa).
Also on the list are three hospitals with two areas of the Charlton campus and an area at the West 5th campus of St. Joseph’s reporting outbreaks.
The city’s other outbreaks are at Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre, Barrett Centre for Crisis Support and I.H. Mission Services.
Nine weeks into the global pandemic, Hamilton’s emergency operations centre director says facilities with congregate settings continue to be in difficult circumstances on a number of fronts.
“All of those places are not well set up to deal with infection control,” said Paul Johnson, “And that’s one of the reasons why you see a considerable amount of effort being put into keeping these places safe.”
Johnson says the makeshift shelter at First Ontario Centre is averaging close to capacity at 75 per night but is providing help to other shelters in the city.
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“I think it’s served its purpose, recognizing we were dealing with the emergency shelter system that was oversubscribed before this pandemic and we had to make some quick decisions about how to lower the numbers in each of those physical spaces,” Johnson told Global News.
Hamilton hospitals have 25 patients in care units — 16 at Hamilton Health Sciences and nine at St. Joseph’s hospitals.
The health unit reports that 300 of the city’s 460 cases — or 65 per cent — of COVID-19 have been resolved.
Niagara Region reports eleven new COVID-19 cases, one more death
Niagara Region reported eleven new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday for a total of 540, with more than half of their total cases — 345 — resolved, according to public health.
The region reported another institutional death on Wednesday, the region now has 53 deceased, with 44 tied to care homes or a retirement facility.
Niagara reported no new COVID-19 outbreaks. The region still has six at two hospitals (Greater Niagara General and St. Catharines General), two long-term care homes (Royal Rose Place and Henley House in St. Catharines) and two retirement homes (Lundy Manor in Niagara Falls and Seasons in Welland).
Haldimand-Norfolk no new cases of coronavirus
For the sixth day in a row, Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit (HNHU) reported no new cases of COVID-19. The region has 196 total lab-confirmed cases as of Wednesday.
The region’s total number of reported deaths remains at 30.
Fifty-four per cent of the two region’s deaths have been among patients aged 60-and-over.
HNHU says 56 people have recovered since the pandemic began.
Piers and beaches in both counties remain closed as per an order issued by the region’s medical officer of health.
Dr. Shanker Nesathurai also issued orders forbidding residents with cottages in either county to occupy their property unless it’s for necessary maintenance.
Halton Region has 562 novel coronavirus cases, one more death
Halton Region reported 20 more cases of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday for 500 positive cases and 62 probable cases.
For the third straight day, public health reported seven more recoveries. The region has 409 cases now considered resolved.
Halton’s latest death is a community case not connected to an institutional outbreak, according to public health.
The region now has 23 deaths tied to COVID-19. Eleven were residents or patients of an institutional outbreak.
The region has three outbreaks at one retirement home and two long-term care homes. The outbreak at the Northridge long-term care home was declared over on May 6.
Seventy-three of the region’s cases have been connected to residents or patients in an institutional outbreak.
Brant County reports 99 COVID-19 cases
Brant County’s health unit reported no new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. The region has 99 confirmed cases.
The county has three outbreaks at Briarwood Gardens retirement home, Telfer Place long-term care and St. Joseph’s Lifecare Centre.
The region has three deaths and 78 resolved cases.
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.
For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.
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