COVID outbreak tops 100 cases at second Hamilton long-term care home

More than 100 people have been infected with COVID at a Hamilton seniors' home for the second time this month.

In addition, the city reported seven COVID deaths in one week, including a Hamiltonian in their 60s.

While overall COVID and flu are on a downward trend in Hamilton, new data from Public Health Ontario details the fast spread of the highly transmissible subvariant Kraken.

Outbreaks show that Hamilton seniors' homes remain vulnerable to COVID.

Chartwell Willowgrove Long Term Care Residence in Ancaster has had 103 infections and two deaths since Jan. 1.

Grace Villa reached 124 cases before the outbreak declared Christmas Day ended last week at the long-term care home on the east Mountain.

The Village of Wentworth Heights Retirement Home on the central Mountain has had 63 test positive and one death since Jan. 5. The long-term care home at the same site had 42 cases in an outbreak declared over Jan. 23.

There have been 51 infections and two deaths at Parkview Nursing Centre in west Hamilton since Jan. 9. Heritage Green Long Term Care in Stoney Creek has had 43 test positive and one death since Jan. 4.

In addition, there is a large outbreak of norovirus with 51 cases at the Meadows Long Term Care Home in Ancaster.

In total, Hamilton had 16 active respiratory and intestinal outbreaks as of Thursday - 11 of them are COVID and 11 are at seniors' homes.

The city has reported seven COVID deaths between Jan. 17 and Jan. 24 to bring Hamilton's pandemic fatalities to 669.

One of the deaths was a Hamiltonian in their 60s - about nine per cent of Hamilton's COVID deaths have been among this age group. Six of the most recent fatalities were seniors age 80 and older - this group accounts for two-thirds of Hamilton's pandemic deaths.

COVID spread was updated to moderate and decreasing in the city's report Wednesday. Influenza transmission is currently low.

Data from Public Health Ontario shows Kraken - the proper name is XBB.1.5 - increased to nearly 10 per cent of COVID cases in Haldimand and Norfolk from Dec. 11 to Jan 7. That compares to five per cent from Dec. 4 to Dec. 31. It's also the highest in Ontario by far.

During the same time, the subvariant rose to 0.6 per cent of Hamilton's COVID cases from 0.3 per cent.

Joanna Frketich is a health reporter at The Spectator. jfrketich@thespec.com