Hamilton’s emergency operations centre (EOC) director says the most “worrying” part of the city’s steady increase in coronavirus cases over the last month is the number of community outbreaks.
Paul Johnson says the concern is the connection between people residing in group facilities and the 53 virus-related deaths the city has had since the pandemic began.
“That means it’s hitting areas where we have vulnerable people living in congregate settings and that can have devastating impacts as it already has,” Johnson said.
In late September, public health told city council that Hamilton was averaging just five cases a day since June and that cases appeared to be on the rise.
On Wednesday, Hamilton’s medical officer of health Dr. Elizabeth Richardson told councillors the city was doing “okay” averaging around 20 cases per day during late September and early October.
Under Ontario’s new COVID-19 response framework, the number put Hamilton in the yellow “protect” category of the protocol since the city’s weekly incidence rate was between 10 to 39.9 per 100,000 people.
On Monday, Richardson said cases over the last week are now averaging 43 cases per day and rising.
“Given the behaviours we’re seeing and the things that we hear about during the case management and contact tracing that we do, the numbers are going to continue to get higher and higher unless we change something,” Richardson said.
Johnson suggests the growing trend could mean more restrictive measures in the city should the province decide to bump Hamilton from its current status to the orange “restrict” classification.
“I think we do need to go back to those first principles of understanding, you know, who we are gathering with,” Johnson said.
“If it’s outside of our immediate household, I think we have to be all taking a very strong risk analysis.”
Hamilton reports 118 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend, four new outbreaks
Hamilton Public Health reported 118 new COVID-19 cases on the weekend and two more deaths.
The two deaths were from a pair of long-term care homes in outbreaks. Both of the deceased are women in their early 90s — one at Chartwell Willowgrove and one at Village of Wentworth.
There are now 19 active outbreaks in Hamilton involving 125 people as of Monday at
- nine long-term care homes (Alexander Place, Baywoods Place, Chartwell Willowgrove, Hamilton Continuing Care, Idlewyld Manor, Macassa Lodge, Shalom Village, St. Joseph’s Villa, The Village at Wentworth Heights)
- three retirement homes (Aberdeen Gardens, Amica Dundas, Villa Italia)
- two daycares (La Garderie Le Petit Navire, Echo Day Program)
- two retailers (Lululemon Athletica – Limeridge Mall, Roma Bakery & Deli)
- one restaurant (Castelli Cucina)
- one homeless shelter (Good Shepherd Men’s Centre)
- one group home (Hatts Off)
The five new outbreaks on the weekend involve three declared at long-term care homes, one at a retirement home and another at a group home.
The outbreak at St. Joseph’s Villa in Dundas affects 12 people – eight residents and four workers. The facility has since closed down two units and cancelled all general indoor visits.
The other outbreaks involve three staff members at Hatts Off Group Home on Main Street West, two residents at Aberdeen Gardens on Dundurn Street, an employee at Alexander Place in Waterdown and another worker at Idlewyld Manor on Sanatorium Road.
The outbreak at Chartwell Willowgrove, which started on Oct. 22, grew by five more cases to 51 on the weekend. The facility now has coronavirus cases, involving 31 residents 19 staff and one essential visitor.
Hamilton Continuing Care on Wentworth Street has 11 cases involving 10 residents and one staff member.
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The city’s overall number of coronavirus cases is 2,117, including 319 active cases. Seven people are in hospital with the virus.
Health officials say there have been 363 positive coronavirus cases in Hamilton in the last 10 days.
A total of 123 (34 per cent) of the city’s new cases are in people under the age of 30.
Halton Region reports 110 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend
Halton region reported 110 new COVID-19 cases since Friday.
The region has 408 active cases as of Nov. 8, with Oakville accounting for 195 and Burlington accounting for 77 cases.
Halton has 12 outbreaks which include six institutions and three schools.
The institutional outbreaks involve more than 144 people at three long-term care homes (Chartwell Waterford, Post Inn Village and Wyndham Manor in Oakville) and three retirement homes (Village of Tansley Woods in Burlington, Traflager Lodge in Oakville and Amica Georgetown).
The outbreak at Chartwell Waterford grew by one more case since Friday. The facility now has 52 cases – 41 residents, nine staff members and two others – connected with the home.
The facility has recorded three deaths since the outbreak began on Oct. 13.
Tansley Woods has 45 total cases involving 34 residents and 11 staff members. The facility has had seven deaths since the outbreak began on Oct. 3.
Amica Georgetown has 18 cases among 17 residents and one staff member. The facility has had two deaths tied to residents since the outbreak started on Oct. 19.
The outbreak at Chartwell Brant Centre in Burlington was declared over on Sunday.
Halton has 2,578 total COVID-19 cases and 38 coronavirus-related deaths since the pandemic began.
Niagara Region reports 55 new COVID-19 cases on the weekend
Niagara public health reported 55 new COVID-19 cases since Friday.
Since the pandemic began, Niagara has had 1,639 total positive cases and 76 virus-related deaths.
There are 236 active cases as of Nov. 9.
There are 15 active outbreaks connected with the coronavirus in the community. Six are institutional outbreaks at two retirement homes (The Meadows of Dorchester and Seasons Retirement Communities in Welland) and four long-term care homes (Millennium Trail Manor in Niagara Falls, Albright Manor in Lincoln, West Park Health Centre and Gilmore Lodge in Fort Erie).
Niagara Health is reporting that the outbreak at Millennium Trail Manor in Niagara Falls involves 30 positive cases among 15 residents and 15 staff members. Three resident deaths have been connected with the outbreak which began on Sept. 29.
An outbreak at the River Road Retirement home in Niagara Falls was declared over on the weekend.
A total of 416 (25.4 per cent) of the area’s COVID-19 cases have been connected with long-term care or retirement homes in the region.
Since the pandemic was declared, 46.7 per cent (765) of the region’s 1,639 cases have occurred in people under the age of 39.
Haldimand-Norfolk reports four new COVID-19 cases on the weekend
The Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit (HNHU) reported four more COVID-19 cases to put the region’s total since the pandemic began to 565 lab-confirmed positive cases.
The region has one institutional outbreak involving seven staff members at the Grandview Lodge long-term care home in Dunville.
Officials say there are 25 active cases as of Nov. 8.
Public health says 34.5 per cent (195) of all cases in the region involve people between the ages of 20 and 39.
Haldimand-Norfolk has had 32 COVID-19-connected deaths with 27 tied to residents at Anson Place Care Centre, a nursing home in Hagersville.
Brant County reports 14 new COVID-19 cases on the weekend
Brant County’s health unit reported 14 new COVID-19 cases since Friday. The region has 337 confirmed cases since the pandemic began.
There are 77 active cases as of Nov. 8 with two people receiving hospital care.
Brant County now has four outbreaks at two retirement homes (Riverview Terrace in Brantford and Brucefield Manor in Mount Pleasant) and two businesses (Salon Mirage at Lynden Park Mall and Rejuvenate Cosmetic Clinic in Brantford).
The outbreak at Brucefield Manor has grown by three cases to 21 total in 16 residents and five staff members.
Riverview Terrace Retirement Home has 13 people affected in its outbreak – three staff members and 10 residents.
Public health says 33.13 per cent (114) of all cases in the county involve people between the ages of 20 and 39.
The region has had five deaths tied to COVID-19.
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