Wentworth Lodge has a COVID-19 outbreak, and 7 Cardinal residents are moved to hospital

Wentworth Lodge has become the third Hamilton long-term care home with an outbreak of COVID-19.

One staff member has tested positive for COVID-19 at the Dundas home, the city said Sunday morning. Now the lodge is working with Hamilton Public Health to trace that person's contacts and investigate whether other residents and staff have symptoms.

Anyone symptomatic at the home will be tested.

This is the third Hamilton long-term care home to suffer an outbreak of COVID-19. The first was Heritage Green in upper Stoney Creek, where three residents have died. As of Friday, four residents and two staff members there have tested positive for the virus, but public health officials are testing about 27 other residents and staff.

Public Health also declared an outbreak at Cardinal Retirement Home on April 2. The city said Saturday that it moved seven residents from the home at 10 Herkimer St. into hospitals. 

"The facility is struggling with related staffing issues and [personal protective equipment] supply and has now reached a point where steps need to be taken to transition some residents who are ill out of the home," the city said in a statement. "The city is facilitating the transportation of residents via ambulance."

Hamilton has 155 confirmed cases Sunday, up from 147 the day before. Three people have died.

Several long-term care homes in neighbouring areas are struggling with outbreaks too.

In Hagersville, at least three of Haldimand-Norfolk's five COVID-19 deaths have been connected to Anson Place Care Centre. As of Friday, 16 residents and 17 staff had tested positive. The Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit is reporting 61 confirmed cases overall as of Sunday morning. Cases there have nearly doubled since Thursday, when there were 34 confirmed.

Niagara had 123 confirmed cases as of noon Saturday. There are outbreaks at Albright Manor in Lincoln, Royal Rose Place in Welland, Lundy Manor in Niagara Falls, Rapelje Lodge in Welland, and Seasons Welland. 

The Brant County Health Unit reported 46 cases on Sunday, up from 42 on Saturday. There are outbreaks at Telfer Retirement Home in Paris and St. Joseph's Lifecare Centre in Brantford, where one staff member in each facility has tested positive for COVID-19.