COVID-19 outbreak at ‘Hamilton-based basketball club’ as SpinCo outbreak hits 85

A Hamilton-based basketball club" is one of two new Hamilton COVID-19 outbreaks as the SpinCo outbreak continues to grow.

Hamilton public health posted on its website Friday that the Hamilton-based basketball club" outbreak involves four patrons." The outbreak was formally declared Wednesday. Public health says there is no risk to the public and no further information will be provided about the outbreak.

Meanwhile, the SpinCo outbreak hit 85 Friday, with four new riders testing positive. The outbreak was declared Monday, Oct. 5 and now involves 52 riders, two staff and 31 secondary" cases.

The second new outbreak is at Chartwell Willowgrove long-term-care home, where one staff member has tested positive. The outbreak was declared Thursday.

The outbreak at Kushies Baby, a local manufacturer, is now over. Three staff had tested positive during the outbreak.

There are now 16 active outbreaks in the city. Most outbreaks involve just one or two cases. Outbreaks are declared when there are two positive cases and evidence exists of transmission within a setting. The threshold for long-term-care home outbreaks, however, is just one case.

Public health is reporting 15 new cases of COVID-19 in the city, bringing the total number of active cases to 152. The cumulative case count is 1,631 cases, though 88 per cent, or 1,429 cases, are now considered resolved.

More to come.

Katrina Clarke is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: katrinaclarke@thespec.com