Hamilton reports no COVID-19 outbreaks for the first time since March
First outbreak in the city was declared at Heritage Green Nursing Home on March 21
Hamilton is free of COVID-19 outbreaks for the first time since March.
The city's last outstanding outbreak was declared over Wednesday in consultation with public health, according to a media release from Hamilton Health Sciences.
Ten staff members at the COVID-19 unit at Hamilton General Hospital had tested positive for the virus.
"We are grateful to everyone whose efforts helped to contain the outbreak," stated the hospital.
No new outbreaks were announced as of 9 a.m. Thursday, meaning that for the first time since March 21 Hamilton is outbreak-free.
That's when a second resident at Heritage Green Nursing Home in Stoney Creek tested positive for the virus and the city's first outbreak was declared.
The city's deadliest outbreak was at the Rosslyn Retirement Residence, which was evacuated on May 15, with the majority of people living there being transported to hospital. Sixty-four residents and 22 staff members tested positive.
That outbreak was declared over on May 29 as the home had been emptied. The provincial definition says an outbreak is deemed over when there are no new cases or evidence of transmission at a facility during a period of 14 days.
However, many residents of the Rosslyn remain in hospital. Fourteen have died so far, accounting for a third of Hamilton's 42 COVID-19 deaths to date.
Public health reported a total of 751 cases as of Thursday morning, four more than the day before. Of those 744 are confirmed, seven probable and 595 resolved.
Haldimand-Norfolk
Nine new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were added to the total for Haldimand and Norfolk counties Thursday, bringing the total of 406.
Thirty-one people have died, according to statistics for the area, while 140 cases are recovered.
Brant
The number of confirmed cases in Brant/Brantford again rose by one for a total of 117.
Two more cases were also added to the resolved tally, which hit 106. Four people in the county have died.
Niagara
The Niagara Region saw three new cases of COVID-19 Thursday, hitting a total of 722 after holding steady at 719 the day before.
Eight-three of those cases are active and 578 are resolved. Sixty-one people in the area have died.
Two institutional outbreaks are ongoing in the region.
Halton
The case count in the Halton Region continued to creep up, adding another seven cases to its total of 761 during the pandemic.
The vast majority — 646 — are resolved, while 90 are still active. Twenty-five people have died.
Twenty-two cases in Burlington are active. The city has seen a total of 150 during the pandemic, of which 135 are confirmed and 15 probable. Seven people from the city have died and 121 cases are resolved.