Record-high 200 new COVID cases, but public health says that number is inaccurate, inflated
Hamilton is reporting a record-high 200 new cases of COVID-19, but the number isn't totally accurate.
The 200-case count is overinflated, public health says, due to numbers being under-reported Thursday as a result of a lab-related data upload delay. The 31 cases reported Wednesday should actually have been 51.
To make matters more complicated, the numbers public health reports always come from 3 p.m. the previous day. So, by The Spectator's count, that means Hamilton recorded 180 new cases between 3 p.m. Tuesday and 3 p.m. Wednesday, which would be a record increase. The previous record was 162, hit earlier in December and again on Tuesday.
Regardless, case counts are on the rise. The city's weekly rate of new cases per 100,000 population hit 129 on Thursday, up from 124 the day before.
Thursday's report showed 1,386 active cases. That's also a record.
Public health reported four new deaths Thursday, bringing the total number of deaths since the pandemic began to 168. However, that may not be the true number of new deaths.
Public health's website lists one new death at Chartwell Willowgrove long-term-care home, one at Grace Villa long-term-care home and one at Juravinski Hospital, which is in outbreak. Public health no longer provides information about deaths beyond listing the number of people who have died in outbreaks and tallies of age categories. All four deceased on Thursday were older than 80.
But Shalom Village, in a letter to residents' families dated Wednesday, said the home has seen 18 deaths. It is not clear if those deaths were all COVID-related. Meanwhile, also Wednesday, public health reported 16 deaths at the long-term-care home. On Thursday, that number strangely dropped to 14.
The Spec has requested clarification from public health.
Earlier this month, The Spec has reported on experts' concerns over public health's decision to no longer share detailed information about deaths with media, effective two weeks ago.
Hamilton hospitals, meanwhile, continue to grapple with high numbers of COVID patients. Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) has 47 COVID patients, eight of which are in the ICU. St. Joseph's Healthcare has 21 COVID patients.
It's not yet clear if non-urgent procedures might be cancelled to accommodate rising COVID numbers moving forward.
HHS continues to prioritize the continuation of important scheduled and ambulatory care services - including through virtual care where appropriate," said an HHS spokesperson Thursday. In light of increased spread of COVID-19 in the community, we will continue to evaluate in early 2021 whether targeted reductions in activity may be required."
Meanwhile, there are 27 active outbreaks in the city including two new outbreaks: one is at Hatt's Off Group Home Hamilton, which has one case in a staff member, and the other is at Bellstone Christian School in Mount Hope, which has one case in a staff member and one in a student.
HHS says an outbreak at St. Peter's Hospital in its restorative care unit is now over. One staff member and three patients tested positive throughout the outbreak, declared Dec. 17.
Other outbreaks newly declared over include: Alexander Place long-term-care home in Waterdown, Eastdale Public School in Stoney Creek and R.A. Riddell Elementary School on Cranbrook Drive in Hamilton.
The city's largest outbreaks are at Grace Villa on the east Mountain and Shalom Village on Macklin Street North. Grace Villa has had 225 cases since the outbreak was declared Nov. 25 and 38 deaths. Shalom Village has had 164 cases since the outbreak was declared Dec. 9 and 18 deaths, the home says.
Katrina Clarke is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: katrinaclarke@thespec.com