COVID-19 variant in new senior home outbreak as Hamilton reports three deaths
Hamilton reported three new COVID-19 deaths and three new outbreaks on Tuesday, including a retirement home where a variant case has been detected.
Public health reported 913 active cases in the city as of March 29 at 3 p.m. - the city's highest active case count since Jan. 15. There are 162 new cases.
Two deaths were in residents 80 years and older, and a third was an individual in their 70s. The deaths appear to be linked to hospital outbreaks in Juravinski Hospital's F3 unit, Hamilton General Hospital's short-stay medical unit and St. Peter's Hospital's 3W unit.
Fast-spreading COVID variant cases continued to grow with 849 cases reported Tuesday, an increase of 123.
A new outbreak was declared at Orchard Terrace Retirement Residence in Stoney Creek with one staff case, which screened positive for a variant. Out of the 41 active outbreaks in the city, 22 have screened positive for a variant. Five are linked to senior homes (one of which is under construction).
Connon Nurseries, a Waterdown garden centre, is also in outbreak with eight staff cases. A new outbreak at Mission Services overflow shelter in east Hamilton has one staff case.
The outbreak involving a COVID-19 variant at Kingdom Worship Centre on the central Mountain was declared over as of March 29.
Meanwhile, concerns were raised about the accuracy of public health data.
An outbreak at St. Joseph's Villa long-term-care home in Dundas has eight staff cases, according to public health, while city data shows 96.4 per cent of the home's staff received vaccines.
That's an inaccurate number," says John Woods, the facility's president, noting about 50 per cent" of the home's roughly 500 full- and part-time staff have been vaccinated. That doesn't include agency staff.
Woods would not say if the infected staff had received vaccines, citing privacy.
At Monday's briefing, Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, Hamilton's medical officer of health, said the city collected vaccination data from the homes.
Woods said the Villa had seven cases in its outbreak, of which two are resolved. He said the home spoke with public health Monday to confirm the numbers. On Tuesday, one case was removed from the outbreak's tally.
Woods said the facility is calling staff to collect updated vaccination data, and checking receipts from vaccination appointments to confirm.
Maria Iqbal's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows her to report on stories focused on aging issues. Reach her via email: miqbal@thespec.com