Hamilton reports 400th COVID death as cases remain low

Hamilton recorded one new COVID-19 death on Canada Day as infections continued to drop.

A person in their 60s with coronavirus was reported to have died. It marks the city's 400th death since the onset of the pandemic.

The nine new COVID cases recorded Thursday follows a trend seen amid the expedited vaccine rollout. In the past 19 days, public health has reported less than 30 new daily COVID cases.

Active cases, too, continue to fall, with 114 reported Thursday. A month ago, they were at 494.

The daily average for new cases was at 15 on June 28 and the rate per 100,000 population at 18 - both at their lowest since Oct. 7.

The only active outbreak in Hamilton is at a daycare where two children tested positive June 23. No new outbreaks have been declared since then.

Hamilton hospitals were caring or 32 COVID patients Thursday - 16 of whom are in intensive care units - compared to 161 patients at the end of April.

Test positivity in the city has fallen to 2.4 per cent. The average in Ontario is 1.0 per cent.

As of Thursday, more than 73 per cent of Hamilton adults have had a first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. About 35 per cent have received the full two doses.

Sebastian Bron is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach him via email: sbron@thespec.com