Hamilton reports four new outbreaks Saturday and four deaths, bringing the city’s total to 200

Hamilton reported four new outbreaks in hospitals and retirement homes Saturday, bringing the city's total number of active COVID-19 outbreaks to 36.

According to the city's public health department, the new outbreaks occurred at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton's Charleton Campus, the Wellington Retirement Home on Upper Wellington Street near Stone Church Road, the Hamilton General Hospital and Chartwell Willowgrove long-term care residence on Old Mohawk Road in Ancaster.

Wellington Retirement Home and Chartwell Willowgrove both reported one new case, while Hamilton General Hospital and St. Joseph's both reported two.

Two residents tested positive at Hamilton General and two staff tested positive at St. Joseph's.

The city also reported four more deaths, bringing the total to 200 since the pandemic began.

The city also reported 79 new cases, bringing the number of active cases to 1,633.

There are currently 482 people hospitalized in Hamilton due to the virus.

Several locations with active outbreaks recorded new cases as well, predominantly in retirement homes and long-term care facilities.

Six new cases were reported at St. Elizabeth Retirement Residence; 10 at Hamilton Health Sciences' Satellite Health Facility; and six in a unit at Juravinski Hospital.

One new death was reported at Grace Villa nursing home, where a quarter of residents have died since the pandemic began.

The outbreak at Chartwell Willowgrove comes just one week after a devastating outbreak was declared over at the Ancaster care home where 101 people were infected. Seventeen people died in the outbreak that ended Jan. 2.

Jacob Lorinc's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows him to report on stories about education.