Hamilton Public Health is reporting a spike in the number of new COVID-19 cases, as the city’s largest active outbreaks continue to grow.
Public health confirms 91 new cases of the coronavirus on Friday, which compares to 39 on Thursday and 42 on Wednesday.
The city’s number of active cases is up to 428, but there are no new deaths associated with the pandemic, keeping the total at 281.
The newest of Hamilton’s 26 outbreaks is at Mary’s Place, a women’s shelter operated by the Good Shepherd, where two cases of COVID-19 are confirmed among its residents.
There are now 48 cases at the Hamilton Wentworth Detention Centre, affecting 38 inmates and 10 staff members; and 38 cases at the Salvation Army men’s shelter, involving 33 clients and five staff.
The Mission Services men’s centre and Good Shepherd men’s centre also have eight cases each, involving their clients, as of Friday.
In response to the growing number and scope of outbreaks within the shelter system, the City of Hamilton is immediately expanding vaccine distribution to protect that vulnerable population.
The city says its mobile clinic team is working collaboratively with the Shelter Health Network and shelter staff to implement pop-up clinics at all shelter sites, between Sat, Feb 27 and Tues, Mar 2.