Hamilton will be one of 11 health units across Ontario that will move to the ‘red-control’ level of the province’s COVID-19 response framework as of Tuesday.
The province announced on Friday that 27 public health regions would emerge from the province’s stay-at-home order on Feb. 16.
The move means non-essential retailers will be able to allow customers back into their stores and limited indoor dining can resume.
Halton joins Hamilton in the red level on Tuesday while Haldimand-Norfolk and Brant County will move to the ‘orange-restrict’ level.
Niagara Region will be placed in the ‘grey-lockdown zone,” which will allow businesses to open at just 25 per cent capacity.
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Some of the restrictions in the red level include:
- Limits of five people for public indoor gatherings, 25 for outdoors
- Maximum of 10 people indoors at restaurants, mall food courts, bars and event spaces. No buffets. Limit of 4 seated together
- No dancing, singing or live music at bars and event spaces
- Maximum of 10 people at an indoor fitness studio with three-meter distancing in areas where there are weights or exercise equipment are used
- No team sports except for training (no scrimmages)
- All movie theatres and performing arts facilities are closed except for drive-ins
- Retail capacity limits are 75 per cent for stores that sell groceries, 50 per cent for others. Retailers in malls must screen patrons before they are allowed to enter.
Hamilton reported just 27 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, no deaths, and two new outbreaks: at a long-term care home (LTCH) in Dundas and a shelter in west Hamilton.
Public health says the outbreak at Inasmuch House mission involves two resident cases while the third outbreak for the Wentworth Lodge LTCH involves just a single case with a staff member.
Wentworth Lodge was the subject of two outbreaks amid the pandemic in April and October.
Meanwhile, two other seniors residents had outbreaks declared over on Thursday, the Chartwell Willowgrove LTCH had just a single case in an outbreak declared on Feb. 6, and the Blackadar continuing care centre had 14 cases and one death in a surge that lasted 39 days.
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Outbreaks at three health facilities also ended on Feb. 11 at Hamilton General which involved 17 coronavirus cases, St. Joe’s West 5th campus which had three cases and the second floor of the satellite health facility downtown which had 41 cases and two deaths over 27 days.
The city now has 19 outbreaks involving 300 total cases and 29 deaths. Twenty-five of those were from outbreaks in senior homes.
Hamilton’s active cases dropped for a sixth day in a row from 351 to 315 day over day. The weekly rate of new cases is now at 43 per 100,000 population, a drop of six since Thursday.
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Hamilton has had 9,661 total COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.
The city has administered 21,857 COVID-19 vaccine doses, 15,411 at the HHS fixed clinic and close to 6,446 through the mobile clinic.
About 14,000 doses have been given to health-care workers, with about 5,000 tied to a staffer at an LTCH or retirement home. Just over 4,400 shots have been given to residents in homes and almost 900 to essential caregivers.
Halton Region reports 26 new COVID-19 cases, 3 deaths
Halton region reported 26 new COVID-19 cases on Friday and saw active cases decrease by almost a hundred day over day.
The region now has 309 active cases as of Feb 12 with Milton recording a significant drop in cases from 149 on Thursday to 83 on Friday.
The region reported three more deaths, two in Burlington and one in Halton Hills. Public health did not attribute any of the cases with any of the region’s ongoing outbreaks.
There were no new institutional outbreaks announced nor any declared over on Friday. Halton has 31 open outbreaks in the community with 11 tied to an LTCH or retirement home.
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Halton has had 8,938 total coronavirus cases since the pandemic began and 182 deaths.
Niagara reports 38 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death
Niagara reported 38 new coronavirus cases on Friday and a drop in active cases for the 19th straight day.
As of Feb. 12, the region’s active cases were at 490, a drop of 18 day over day.
Public health says there was one more virus-related death in the past few days.
The region has had 358 deaths and 8,310 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.
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Two more outbreaks were declared at health-care facilities in Niagara falls: the Bella Care seniors residence and the Emerald retirement home.
Niagara has 40 total outbreaks made up of surges at 22 health-related facilities, which includes seven in St. Catharines and six in Niagara Falls.
Public health administered 123 COVID-19 vaccines on Thursday. More than 7,600 doses have been given out in the region as of Feb. 12.
Haldimand-Norfolk reports two new COVID-19 cases
For the third day in a row, the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit reported just two new COVID-19 cases on Friday.
The region has had 1,377 total coronavirus cases and 39 virus-related deaths since the pandemic began.
The region’s active cases dropped for the sixth day in a row from 43 to 39 as of Feb. 12.
Public health has now reported the outbreak at the Cedarwood Village LTHC in Simcoe to be over. The surge involved three staff cases in a span of 19 days.
The HNHU is dealing now with four institutional outbreaks involving 13 total coronavirus cases among 12 staff and just a single case among residents.
The outbreaks are at Delhi long-term care home, Edgewater Gardens LTCH in Dunnville, Haldimand War Memorial Hospital in Dunnville, the nursing home in Norfolk General, and Norview Lodge.
Brant County reports no new COVID-19 cases
The Brant County Health Unit reported no new COVID-19 cases on Friday.
The region’s active cases dropped slightly for the fifth day in a row from 17 cases on Thursday to 14 on Feb. 12.
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Public health is managing three outbreaks in the community at the John Noble LTCH, the Stedman Community Hospice in Brantford and one construction site involving six workers.
Public health says more than 3,200 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the region with 635 people having completed their vaccinations as of Feb. 12.
The county has had 1,384 coronavirus cases and 12 virus-related deaths since the pandemic began last March.
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