‘Disturbing’ trend of babies in hospital with COVID seen in Hamilton
McMaster Children's Hospital is urging those who are pregnant to get vaccinated to curb a disturbing" trend of babies being admitted with COVID.
Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) joined other Ontario hospitals in raising alarm after six babies under the age of 12 months were admitted with COVID since the middle of December to McMaster and the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa.
With the rise of Omicron, hospitals are starting to see a disturbing, potential new trend - admissions of infants with COVID-19," stated a public service announcement Wednesday put out by McMaster, CHEO, Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children and Kingston Health Sciences Centre. Previous to that, it was a rare occurrence that an infant was hospitalized for COVID-19 infection."
None of the mothers were vaccinated, stated the hospitals about the six babies admitted.
Infants are especially at risk because they have an immature immune system that has difficulty combatting disease," stated the hospitals. If the mother has not been vaccinated or infected, they do not have the protection of maternal antibodies transferred during the third trimester of pregnancy."
The hospitals stressed that it is well studied in other infectious diseases such as flu and whooping cough (pertussis) that maternal antibodies resulting from vaccination provide protection for the first six months of a child's life."
Pregnant women are at increased risk of developing severe illness and dying from the virus, warned the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table in September.
The hospitals echoed that caution: Pregnant individuals are considered a high-risk population for COVID-19 complications, based on higher rates of COVID-19 hospitalization, ICU admission, and death compared with nonpregnant individuals of the same age."
Yet, they were less likely than other high-risk populations to be vaccinated.
We strongly support ongoing efforts to better understand the reasons why some pregnant individuals are not being vaccinated," stated the hospitals. This could help inform approaches for education that are tailored to the needs of specific communities."
Part of the issue has been misinformation regarding the vaccine when it comes to pregnancy and fertility.
CHEO has been monitoring COVID and pregnancy in its BORN Ontario study.
Their research shows no evidence that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is associated with any adverse pregnancy outcomes in Ontario," stated the hospitals. This is consistent with data that have been generated from other jurisdictions and countries."
The hospitals are encouraging those who are pregnant to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their babies. They also urge others in the household to get their COVID shots.
No one wants their little one to be sick in hospital, let alone for COVID-19," stated the hospitals.
Those wanting more information can go to the Pandemic Pregnancy Guide at bit.ly/ppgtableofcontents or get questions answered by doctors at VaxFacts shn.ca/vaxfacts.
The hospital warnings came as Hamilton continued to have the highest COVID case rate in the province Wednesday. Hamilton's rate of 8,037 cases per million population in the last seven days topped second place Toronto. Halton was fifth with 6,890, showed analysis done by epidemiologist Ahmed Al-Jaishi.
The last time Hamilton topped the chart was around Aug. 11 in the fourth wave, when the rate was 235 cases per million.
Hamilton's current rate has gone up 53 per cent in the last week.
The city reported 519 new cases Wednesday, however, it's estimated that - at best - one in seven cases are being diagnosed and potentially as few as one in 10.
Despite the majority of cases going unreported, the average daily increase was still 705 on Wednesday. The highest this key metric has ever reached before Omicron was 180 on April 20 at the height of the third wave.
Hamilton has a record 57 active outbreaks after topping the 53 reported on Jan. 26 during the second wave.
However, the number of outbreaks is likely much higher as public health announced Dec. 23 that it would stop reporting for lower-risk areas like workplaces to focus on high-risk settings like seniors' homes, hospitals and other congregate living.
The largest active outbreak was at the Wellington Nursing Home on the central Mountain, where 18 staff, 21 residents and one visitor have tested positive since Dec. 24. There is also an outbreak at the Wellington Retirement Home, where two staff are infected.
In total, 22 seniors' homes have ongoing outbreaks, as well as one in senior services.
There are 10 outbreaks in supportive housing and group homes, and five more in shelters and drop-in programs.
Four outbreaks were in manufacturing and construction, including one at ArcelorMittal Dofasco and one at Stelco.
There are two in jails - 18 are infected at the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre and two have tested positive at Arrell Youth Centre.
Hamilton's hospitals have a record 13 active outbreaks involving 99 cases at Hamilton Health Sciences and 41 infections at St. Joseph's Healthcare.
The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario warned Wednesday that the health system is on the verge of total collapse" in a letter to Premier Doug Ford.
Citywide there are 7,013 active cases - 4,110 of them among those age 20 to 49. However, the true number is likely closer to 10 per cent of Hamilton's population currently infected with COVID.
Hamilton's medical officer of health, Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, called the rapid spread very concerning" during a briefing Tuesday.
Joanna Frketich is a health reporter at The Spectator. jfrketich@thespec.com