112 new COVID-19 cases and 2 more deaths in Hamilton this weekend

Hamilton Public Health Services is reporting 112 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths this weekend.

The city saw 58 new cases on Sunday and 54 new cases on Saturday.

It comes after a week with relatively lower numbers and even a sign the spread from person-to-person has slowed.

Hamilton's average reproduction number dropped to 0.85. It was previously at 1.25, which meant for every one person diagnosed with COVID-19, 1.25 people would contract it from them.

Despite this, two more deaths have been linked to the virus.

Hamilton Public Health Services (HPHS) confirmed the death of the 74th victim on Saturday and the 75th on Sunday.

Aisling Higgins, a spokesperson for public health, said one victim was a man in his 90s from Baywood Place Long-Term Care Home. He died on Nov. 19. The other was a man in his 90s at Hamilton Continuing Care. He died on Nov. 20.

3 new outbreaks

There were also three new COVID-19 outbreaks this weekend.

Public health declared an outbreak at Alexander Place Long-Term Care Home after a staff member got infected.

There's also an outbreak in Hamilton Police Service's records department after it confirmed two employees tested positive for the virus.

"The two staff members are recovering at home and operations are not affected," read an email from Jackie Penman, a spokesperson for the police service.

Meanwhile, HPHS reported another outbreak at St. Joseph's Villa, this time in its South Tower.

One staff member there tested positive for the virus.

2,701 cases reported since March

Public health has recorded 2,701 cases since March. As of Sunday, there are 364 active cases of the virus, while 2,257 cases have been resolved.

There have been 204 people in hospital because of COVID-19 and 20 of them are still in being treated. This comes after a warning about how there's "no slack" left in the local health-care system.

2 more Fortinos workers get COVID-19

Two more employees at the Fortinos on Dundurn Street have COVID-19.

Loblaw posted online about the infected workers on Saturday.

The employees last worked in the store on Nov. 15 and Nov. 16

"In these cases, we work closely with public health and follow their guidance to ensure proper notification of close contacts and required cleaning and sanitization in our stores," reads the notice

2 new school COVID-19 cases

Two more students in Hamilton have tested positive for the virus.

A student at Prince of Wales Elementary School was diagnosed on Saturday. 

"The students and staff members associated with the confirmed case will self-isolate for 14 days," reads a letter from school principal Michael Castellani.

A student at Annunciation of Our Lord Catholic Elementary School also has the virus, but wasn't in the school when they were infectious and has no close contacts at school.

Brant

Twenty-six new cases of COVID-19 were reported this weekend for a total of 435 confirmed cases.

There are 72 active cases and 355 resolved cases. 

Five people with the virus have died. Three people are in hospital.

Haldimand-Norfolk

Haldimand and Norfolk counties recorded 623 confirmed cases of COVID-19 throughout the pandemic. That's 19 more since Friday.

There are 43 active cases in the counties Friday, while 543 cases are resolved.

Thirty-two deaths are considered COVID-related.

Halton

Thirty-four more cases were found in Halton on Saturday, for a total of 3,222 over the course of the pandemic.

Of those, 578 are active and 2,594 resolved. Fifty people have died.

Looking at Burlington specifically, six more people were infected, for a total of 805.

Sixteen people have died, while 672 cases are resolved and 117 are active.

Niagara

Niagara has recorded 1,962 cases so far, which is 33 more as of Saturday.

There have been 1,674 resolved cases but 183 cases are still ongoing.

The region has 17 outbreaks and the virus has killed 81 people.