Hamilton’s SpinCo outbreak hits 80 cases; Radius outbreak doubles to six
Hamilton's SpinCo outbreak hit 80 cases as a restaurant outbreak said to be linked to the spin studio doubled.
Hamilton public health confirmed the James Street North spin studio outbreak increased by two - one rider and one secondary case - on Tuesday, bringing the total number of primary cases to 50 and secondary cases to 30.
Radius restaurant on James Street South hit six cases Tuesday, up from three Monday. All cases are in staff. Radius has said their outbreak, which was declared Oct. 14, is linked to SpinCo's, which was declared Oct. 5.
At a news conference Tuesday, Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath commented on the outbreak and on The Spectator's recent reporting on how delays in testing and contact tracing may have been an aggravating factor in the outbreak's spread.
The virus just continued to spread amongst these people while the Ford government's testing and processing ... wasn't making the grade," Horwath said. It's really shameful and sad that these kinds of situations are occurring."
Hamilton's total number of COVID cases climbed by 34 on Tuesday, though the data is from the previous day at 3 p.m. There are now 146 total active cases in the city. Hamilton's cumulative number of cases is now 1,559 with 88 per cent considered resolved.
Also Tuesday, Six Nations' numbers grew by four. The community has seen a post-Thanksgiving surge in cases, with 37 new cases reported in the past week alone. There are 31 active cases in the community.
A new outbreak was declared Monday - but was only posted to public health's website Tuesday - at Amica Dundas, a seniors' residence in Dundas. One staff member tested positive.
McMaster University reported its seventh on-campus COVID case Monday. The student tested positive on Oct. 18 and was last on campus on Oct. 15. They spent time in the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery, which has now been thoroughly cleaned, the university says.
Five Hamilton schools, meanwhile, are reporting eight new COVID cases.
Three students at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Elementary School tested positive in the past week, along with two staff at Glendale Secondary School, including a bus driver, and one staffer at Highview Elementary School. One student at each of Sir Allan MacNab and Saltfleet high schools has also tested positive. At MacNab, a classroom has been asked to self-isolate at home for two weeks.
Katrina Clarke is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: katrinaclarke@thespec.com