Four new deaths, 230 new COVID cases in Hamilton

More than 1 in 10 COVID-19 tests are coming back positive in Hamilton - the most it's ever been.

The city's per cent positivity - a rate that shows how many tests return positive out of the total tests completed - soared at 11.3 per cent on Wednesday.

Hamilton reported four new COVID deaths Wednesday, while the number of new cases shot to 230, the first time in almost a week that the number is in the 200s. The city's seven-day average of new cases is now 155, up from 146 reported Tuesday.

Three of the deaths appear to be people 80 years or older. The fourth appears to be a person in their 60s.

A total of 359 people in Hamilton have now died with COVID during the pandemic.

More to come ...

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.