Hamilton records highest single-day case count of pandemic

Hamilton recorded its highest number of single-day cases in the pandemic on Thursday, as an outbreak at Corktown Pub continues to grow.

Public health's website shows 268 new cases were reported Thursday. The previous single-day high was 238 on April 20, 2021, according to public health records. That's up from 168 cases reported Wednesday.

It comes as Ontario also recorded a new all-time high: 5,790 new cases - well above the previous single-day mark of 4,812 set in April.

Meanwhile, the city's seven-day average for new cases climbed to 166 from 140 Wednesday.

The Corktown Pub outbreak also rose Thursday to 24, up from 14 the previous day. The outbreak is linked to a Grey Cup party on Dec. 10 attended by 200 people. It is now by far the largest of Hamilton's 35 ongoing outbreaks, most of which are in schools.

An outbreak at Dirty Dog Saloon grew by two cases Thursday. There are now eight people infected. Public health says 200 people were present at the downtown establishment the day of the outbreak, Dec. 11.

Hamilton's new single-day record comes a day after public health announced it had hit a single-day vaccination high, with just over 10,000 people receiving vaccines Tuesday.

Also Thursday, St. Joseph's Hospital Hamilton announced it is tightening its visitor rules. Effective 5 p.m. today, no visitors will not be allowed for patients staying in the hospital less than seven days, with limited exceptions."

We recognize that patients benefit from the care of their loved ones in the hospital and have had to weigh that benefit against the rapidly spreading Omicron variant and the potential that it would spread further in our hospital without this new restriction," reads a hospital release. We are extremely concerned over how community spread will impact our patients and health care workers in the coming days."

Toronto hospitals have implemented similarly strict visitor policies, St. Joe's notes.

More to come ...

Katrina Clarke is a reporter at The Spectator. katrinaclarke@thespec.com