Hamilton reports just 25 new cases Wednesday but one new death and four new outbreaks
Hamilton reported just 25 new COVID cases Wednesday after hitting a record high of 108 new cases on Tuesday.
The city also recorded its 93rd COVID death: a woman in her mid-80s who lived at St. Joseph's Villa. She died on Monday.
The 25 new cases bring the city's total number of confirmed and probable cases to 3,291. Of those, 16 per cent, or 546 cases, are active cases. There are 24 COVID patients in Hamilton hospitals and five or fewer are in the ICU.
Asked if there was a reason the new case numbers dropped so dramatically on Wednesday, public health spokesperson Jacqueline Durlov said there was no specific reason but noted it's important to look at the seven-day average. Hamilton's most recent seven-day average was 68. The latest weekly rate of new cases per 100,000 population is 80.7.
Four new outbreaks were declared Wednesday. One is at Heritage Green Nursing Home, site of Hamilton's first COVID outbreak. There is one case in a staff member.
Other new outbreaks include 3 for 1 Glasses Hamilton, located at 1550 Upper James St., with four cases in staff; Canadian Electrical Raceways Inc., a manufacturing company located at 2799 Barton St. E., with five cases in staff; and La Garderie le Petit Navire daycare with two cases in staff. This is the second outbreak for the French-language daycare located near Gage Park.
Also new on Wednesday, public health declared an outbreak at the city's Woodward Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant, listed as Pumping Station Construction Project," with four cases in staff. Public health clarified that the outbreak, however, is technically not new as it was previously listed as Maple Reinders Constructors Ltd." That outbreak was declared Nov. 27 - the same date as the newly listed outbreak - also with four cases in staff.
Durlov said Maple Reinders Constructors Ltd. staff are contractors at the city's wastewater treatment plant. There are no cases in city staff, she said.
Asked why the outbreak was relabelled, Durlov said: Because it wasn't just that company anymore, it is on the construction site."
An outbreak at the Hamilton Police Services' records department is now over. Two staff were infected.
Katrina Clarke is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: katrinaclarke@thespec.com