Active COVID cases surge to 319 as Hamilton reports 72 new cases, two new outbreaks

Hamilton public health is reporting 72 new cases of COVID-19 and two new outbreaks Sunday.

An outbreak was declared Saturday at Hatts Off Group Home, a Main Street West group home, after three staff members tested positive for the virus. An outbreak was also declared at Waterdown's Alexander Place after a staff member tested positive.

An outbreak declared Nov. 6 at Dundas' St. Joseph's Villa in the Birch Unit-North Tower had 12 positive cases - eight residents and four staff members - as of Saturday.

Outbreaks were also declared on Friday at Aberdeen Gardens, a retirement residence on Dundurn Street South, which has two resident cases, and Idlewyld Manor, a long-term-care home on the west Mountain, which has one staff case.

There are currently 18 ongoing outbreaks in the city. The largest is at Chartwell Willowgrove long-term-care home in Ancaster, which has 49 infected - 29 residents and 20 staff and essential visitors."

Three Chartwell residents have died.

Outbreaks at St. Marguerite d'Youville Catholic Elementary School, Skylift Rentals, and a Service Ontario location at 50 Dundurn St. were declared over Nov. 6.

On Saturday, Hamilton public health reported two new COVID-19 deaths.

Public health says the deaths were two women in their early 90s - one at Chartwell Willowgrove and one at Village of Wentworth Heights.

Hamilton has had a total of 53 COVID-19 deaths.

As of Saturday, the City of Hamilton has had 2,117 cases of the virus - up 72 from the previous day. There are currently 319 active cases of COVID-19 in the city, which public health believes to be the highest number of active cases to date.

Kate McCullough is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: kmccullough@thespec.com