Hamilton’s medical officer of health says despite the weekly rate of new cases being cut in half, she’s suggesting the city “double down” on lockdown measures with the emergence of coronavirus variants in Ontario.
In an update during the general issues committee on Wednesday, Dr. Elizabeth Richardson told mayor Fred Eisenberger and city councillors she believes the lockdown measures have made a “significant difference” in the drop of the weekly case rate, now at 80 per 100,000 population.
However, with a number of Ontario communities now reporting variant cases from overseas, she’s suggesting lockdown measures should remain despite some positive numbers in recent weeks.
“It’s actually with the variant concern out there and what we’ve seen happen in places like Barrie and we’re starting to see the spread of it through Ontario. It’s a time to double down on the measures and make sure that we’re doing them well,” said Richardson.
Ontario health officials say there are 106 U.K. variant (B.1.1.7) cases and one South African variant (N501Y.V2) detected in the province, so far. The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, which manages the Barrie-area, now has 51 cases of the COVID-19 U.K. variant in the region with another 94 screening positive for the new version.
Although there is no evidence that the U.K. COVID-19 variant is more severe than earlier strains of the virus, it is believed to be up to 70 per cent more contagious, according to officials.
So far, there are no reported variant cases in Hamilton. However, Halton region public health has confirmed one case.
Hamilton reports 4 COVID-19 cases
Public health reported only four new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday and four more virus-related deaths: two people over 80 and two people in their 70s.
Two of the deaths are connected to the outbreaks at a pair of the city’s health facilities, the satellite facility at Effort Square and the Juravinski hospital.
The death at the satellite facility is the first connected to an outbreak that began on Jan. 22. There have been 34 total cases involving 19 patients and 15 workers.
The E2 orthopedics unit at the Juravinski has now recorded two deaths in its outbreak which started on Jan. 25. The facility has had 31 total cases among 24 patients and seven staffers.
The city’s two hospital agencies, Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) and St. Joe’s are now dealing with eight outbreaks combined. The outbreak at Hamilton General’s emergency department was declared over on Tuesday. The section had seven staff cases throughout the 27-day surge.
Also over is the outbreak at St. Joe’s 5MG unit which only had three cases but one death in a surge that lasted 15 days.
However, St. Joe’s declared a new outbreak on the fifth floor of the satellite facility after two patients and a healthcare worker tested positive for the virus.
The remaining outbreaks under both agencies’ management account for 160 COVID-19 cases involving 81 patients and 79 staff. There have been eight deaths connected to the outbreaks.
Officials also reported an outbreak at Arrell Youth Centre on the Mountain Tuesday night.
The city declared three other outbreaks over, at the Christian Horizons residences on the Mountain, the Mission Service’s men’s centre and the Extendicare Hamilton nursing home, on Tuesday.
There are 41 ongoing outbreaks in the city at 25 institutions, eight community settings, six workplaces and two daycares.
The city’s active cases dropped again day over day from 567 on Tuesday to 496 on Wednesday.
Hamilton has 9,290 total COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began and 260 virus-related deaths.
The city has administered just over 19,500 doses of the COVID-19 vaccines, about 14,000 at the HHS fixed clinic and close to 5,200 through the mobile clinic.
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Halton reports 56 new COVID-19 cases
Halton region reported 56 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday and an increase in active cases day over day.
After dropping for six days in a row, public health says active cases went up six to 360 as of Feb. 3.
There were no new outbreaks or deaths in the region on Wednesday.
The region has 36 ongoing outbreaks with 12 in health facilities. The largest current outbreak is in Georgetown at Extendicare Halton Hills which has accounted for 168 COVID-19 cases among 91 residents, seven staff, and 70 other people connected to the home. Twenty-three people have died in the outbreak which began on Dec. 4.
The region has had 8,524 total coronavirus cases since the pandemic began and 163 deaths.
Niagara reports 53 new COVID-19 cases, 8 deaths
Niagara region surpassed 8,000 total coronavirus cases amid the coronavirus pandemic after reporting 53 new cases on Wednesday.
Public health also reported eight new deaths putting the region’s total virus-related deaths to 332.
Outbreaks were declared over at Niagara Health’s St. Catharines site on Tuesday and at Cobblestone Gardens retirement residence in Thorold.
A new outbreak was declared on Monday at the Seasons Welland retirement home, it’s second in as many months.
The region has 41 total outbreaks which include 25 health-related facilities.
Active cases dropped for a tenth straight day from 1,062 on Tuesday to 963 on Wednesday.
Public health administered no COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday as the region awaits more Pfizer-BioNTech shipments. The region has given coronavirus vaccines to at least 4,600 people as of Tuesday.
Niagara has had 8,026 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.
Haldimand-Norfolk reports three new COVID-19 cases, delivering second doses to long-term care and retirement homes
The Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit reported only three new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday.
The region’s active cases also went up by three to 56 as of Feb. 3 and there have been 1,340 COVID-19 cases since last March.
Public health is dealing with six outbreaks at Cedarwood Village LTHC in Simcoe, Dover Cliffs LTCH, Edgewater Gardens LTCH in Dunnville, Grandview Lodge retirement home in Dunnville, the nursing home in Norfolk General, and Norview Lodge.
There are 20 total cases among the facilities involving 19 staff cases and just a single case among residents.
Norfolk General Hospital and paramedic services will be delivering second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to residents of long-term care and retirement homes this week.
More than 1,100 long-term care and retirement home residents received the first dose of the vaccine since January 13.
The second round should be complete by the end of next week.
There were no new deaths in the region on Wednesday. The counties have had 38 combined coronavirus-connected deaths.
Brant County reports six new COVID-19 cases.
The Brant County Health Unit reported six new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday and saw active cases drop for the third straight day from 38 on Monday to 37 on Feb. 3.
The county has one institutional outbreak at the Stedman Community Hospice in Brantford. The facility has one resident case and seven staff cases.
Five people are being treated for the virus at Brantford General Hospital as of Feb. 3.
Public health says more than 2,500 people have been vaccinated against the virus and that its mobile vaccination clinic has completed work at all 18 long-term care and retirement homes in the jurisdiction.
Brant’s COVID-19 vaccination program is now on hold at least until March due to delays in vaccine deliveries from overseas.
The county has had 1,361 coronavirus cases and nine virus-related deaths since the pandemic began.
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