Hamilton public health says the bulk of the city’s outbreaks amid the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic have shifted from care homes to workplaces.
During a board of health meeting on Monday, epidemiologist Stephanie Hughes said there were 89 workplace outbreaks declared in Hamilton between mid-February and mid-May with warehousing, manufacturing and the construction sector accounting for the bulk of the cases.
“It is worth noting that there has been an increase in the percentage of outbreaks declared in the food and beverage sector and a decrease in those declared in the retail sector,” Hughes told city councillors.
City data suggests workplace outbreaks make up approximately seven per cent of all cases reported to Hamilton Public Health in wave three while non-workplace outbreaks make up about 12 to 13 per cent of cases.
Hamilton public health reported a marked shift in the location of COVID-19 outbreaks in the city between the second and third wave of the pandemic.
The emergence of surges in workplaces differs from wave two in which long-term care and retirement homes combined for the most outbreaks in the city.
As of May 18, the city has 20 workplace outbreaks involving more than 150 total cases while only one seniors’ home has a surge – Evergreen Manor – accounting for just 15 cases since late April.
The largest of the active workplace cases are with Aryzta/Oakrun Farm Bakery and National Steel Car which have been going on since mid-April.
Each of the facilities has had 40-plus total cases.
Meanwhile, two Fortino’s grocery stores — on the Mountain at Mall Road and Upper Centennial Parkway — have also been the subject of outbreaks. Combined, the two stores have had 14 total cases in the last two weeks.
Since early May, the province expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to include people who cannot work from home which includes grocery store, restaurant and transportation workers.
Prior to a return to remote learning in mid-April, schools and daycares had also seen a marked increase in outbreaks, according to Hughes.
Since the return home for students, there have been no outbreaks involving staff or students at city schools.
The city’s health officials are working with local school boards to develop a strategy ahead of a May 20 provincial deadline to begin vaccinations of the 12 to 17 age group.
Family-friendly clinics are expected to be set up within mass vaccination sites during the weeks of June 14 and June 21 in order to support families being vaccinated.
As of Monday, 14 million or 38.87 per cent of Canadians have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine with just over 7.2 million shots having been dispensed in Ontario.
Just over 49 per cent of Hamilton’s eligible population aged 18-plus have had at least a single shot as of Monday with more than 252,000 doses administered by city clinic, hospitals and pharmacies
Hamilton reports 107 new COVID-19 cases, 7 new outbreaks
Hamilton reported 107 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday and seven new outbreaks.
Public health recorded four new workplace outbreaks on Monday with all the cases tied to workers.
The largest of the new surges is at air quality company Q-Air in East Hamilton which has four cases among staff.
Other workplaces affected are ArcelorMittal Dofasco, Eveley International in Stoney Creek and La Luna restaurant on King Street West.
Meanwhile, four outbreaks at other workplaces were deemed over on Monday: at Assured Automotive on the Mountain, Go Hot Water, ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s Batch Anneal and Mohawk Medbuy Corporation. The largest of the surges was at ArcelorMittal Dofasco involving three workers.
A pair of child-care centres also have outbreaks – Quality Foundations Childcare in Waterdown and Tiny Hoppers Early Learning Centres in Stoney Creek.
Tiny Hoppers has six total cases involving four patrons and two workers.
There are 40 cases at five daycare outbreaks in Hamilton as of Tuesday.
Lush cosmetics at Limeridge Mall is also reporting an outbreak involving two staffers.
Hamilton has 41 total outbreaks in the city as of May 18 involving more than 520 people.
The city’s active cases are still under 1,000 as of Tuesday at 940 — that dropped from the 962 recorded on May 17.
There are 110 patients with COVID-19 in Hamilton hospitals as of May 18. Hamilton Health Sciences says they have 75 patients, with 31 in intensive care units (ICU) and St. Joe’s 35 patients, with 27 of those in an ICU.
St. Joe’s says its normal ICU occupancy rate is now at 133 per cent as of Tuesday, while HHS facilities are at 116 per cent.
The city’s reproductive number is below 1.0 as of Tuesday at 0.82, which suggests the spread of the virus within the community has been contained.
The seven-day moving average of cases was at 118, last reported on May 16.
The percentage of Hamilton tests returning from Ontario labs as positive for COVID-19 is up day over day slightly to 7.5 per cent from the 7.3 per cent reported Monday.
The rate is on par with the province’s last reported daily number, which was at 7.6 per cent on Tuesday.
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