First COVID death at Grace Villa reported this weekend

Grace Villa has recorded its first COVID-19 death.

Amid a rapidly spreading outbreak declared last week, an 84-year-old resident died late Saturday night, confirmed Mary Raithby, CEO of APANS Health Services, which owns Grace Villa.

Our thoughts are with her family and we extend our deepest sympathies," said Raithby, who said the team is devastated" by the resident's death.

The COVID outbreak at the Mountain long-term-care home, located at 45 Lockton Cres., jumped from five cases Friday to 34 Saturday. Of all cases, 31 are in residents and three are in staff. The home has 184 residents, according to its website. The outbreak was first declared Nov. 25.

The new death brings Hamilton's COVID death toll to 84.

In an email Saturday, Raithby said staffing is an issue at the home.

Long term care had a staffing shortage prior to the pandemic being declared," she said. Staffing remains an issue for us and we have reached out to our local LHIN and hospital for assistance."

Raithby said staff are being swabbed weekly. All residents were swabbed on Wednesday, the day the outbreak was declared. The home has sufficient personal protective equipment, she said.

We are working closely with public health and our hospital infection control team to manage each aspect of this outbreak as well as to implement all components of our pandemic plan," she said. Our staff and families are very committed to doing whatever is necessary to protect our residents and have made many sacrifices over the last eight months - and continue to do so. We deeply thank them."

There are currently nine long-term care or retirement homes in outbreak in Hamilton. The largest is at Chartwell Willowgrove which has 86 cases including 56 in residents, 28 in staff and two in visitors. A total of fifteen residents have died.

Katrina Clarke is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: katrinaclarke@thespec.com