364 active COVID-19 cases in Hamilton, highest count ever, could mean more restrictions

A packed bar in Hamiltonfull of peopledancing and singing withalcohol flowing well past 11 p.m. without any masks, distancingor contact information for patrons that scene of sheer recklessness is whatPaul Johnson,director of the emergency operations centre, says Hamilton Public Health Services (HPHS)heard aboutlast weekend and saw this weekend.

"I have to scratch my head ... you can't tell me that group of people all have no idea what's goingon with coronavirus eight months into our emergency operation and of course now heading into 11 months since we've been talking about this in our community."

"It's a disappointing example, not of businesses trying hard and missing one of the many, many things they needed to do, but a few businesses just don't care ... this was just 'Let's open up and whatever happens, happens,'" he told media on Monday.

He did notname the businesses but said charges were laid.

While most businesses and people are following guidelines, these exceptionscome asHamilton officially has more active cases of COVID-19 now than it has had throughoutthe pandemic.

Hamilton could move beyond 'orange' zone

At least 364 people are infected as of Monday morning and while public health has already warned Hamilton may have to see more province-imposed restrictions, the city's medical officer of health said the current trends may actually push the city to eitheradd more stringent measures or move to a total lockdown.

"It's a very sobering day," Dr. Elizabeth Richardson said.

"Last week we were reporting at 20 new cases a day and now we're sitting at 43 cases per day and rising ... nothing has changed about the virus.What has changed is what we're doing collectively."

Hamilton is sitting in the Yellow-Protect zone in the province's colour-coded system that determines regional restrictions.

But the new average would position Hamilton into theOrange-Restrict zone, which would shorten the hours businesses can sell alcohol, require screening of customers, disallow the removal of masks and not allow more than 50 people from being in a business among some changes.

Despite that, Richardson saideven more restrictions are a possibility given the current trends.

The Red-Control zone, which is implemented when cities see 100 cases per 100,000 cases per week,is one step away from a total lockdown. Only 10 people will be allowed to be indoors at the same time, indoor dining will be shuttered, more restrictions on live music and performance will be implemented and cinemas will close.

Critical city services on the lineif workers get sick

Public health already said some community spread is infectinghealthcare workers and leading to cases in long-term careand retirement residences.

Now, Johnson saysit's also affecting the city's workforce and services like mental health and addictions services or city shelters. If workers get sick, they won't be able to help Hamilton's most vulnerable populations.

"How do we replace these folks? One or two? Maybe. But when you get larger numbers of people that have to isolate or are away it becomes a real challenge to provide critical services," he said.

"The impact of having rising cases in the community is not just about the individual illness, the protection of vulnerable people, but it is about those who work every day to keep critical services going ... we worry if we run into human resource issues and the inability to deliver systems, that has another health impact."

Hamilton not adding more local restrictions yet

Richardson said public health is making more visits to congregate settings and offering moreimmediate responses to COVID-19 cases there.

Some facilities have extra helping hands from theLocal Health Integration Network.

But even withstark warnings about the impact of the pandemic, public health isn't immediately consideringnew by-laws or widespread measures that would add more restrictions despiteconcerns the measures between the province's coloured system are too similar to each other.

"Is it going to be enough ... I keep coming back though, ultimately, it depends on all of us. The province wants us to takeback over and be in control ... it is about people not following public health measures."

That said, Richardson stressed people should stay at home as much as possible and if they are around people they don't live with, theyshould be distancing, mask-wearing, practicing proper hand hygiene, and be outside if possible.

New death and new outbreak

On Monday, HPHSconfirmed 67 new COVID-19 cases and one more victim on Monday after confirming more than 100 new cases over the weekend.

It recorded2,184confirmed cases since March. Of those1,764 are resolved according to city data.

Public healthsays 54people have died, which means the virus has killed another person since Sunday.

He was a man over the age of 100from Hamilton Continuing Care, according to city spokesperson JacquelineDurlov.

Although it appears there may be more deaths than 54that haven't been recordedon the city's website, withChartwell Retirement Residences sayingthe outbreak at Willowgrove Long Term Care has killed a total of five people.

The city also has 19 active outbreaks. The newest outbreak is atMacassa Lodge, a long-term care home that had a previous outbreak in mid-October. The city says a worker there is infected.

There are seven COVID-19 hospitalizations as of Monday, but said that could change if community spread continues.

"You start to see the cases in the community, then you start to see cases in these congregate settings and then what you start to see is the number of people who are more severely ill, the number of people in ICU start to climb and that's absolutely part of what we're trying to prevent against."

Brant

The county ofBrantreported 84 active cases on Monday.

There havealsobeen 344confirmed cases of COVID-19 during the pandemic.

Five people with the virus have diedand twopeople remain in hospital, but 255 cases are resolved.

There are two active outbreaks affecting retirement homes.

The outbreak at Brucefield Manor Retirement Home has reported 16 residents and five staff with the virus.

At Riverview Terrace Retirement Home, 10 residents have been infected with the virus, as well as three staff.

Halton

Statistics forHaltonRegionon Mondayshowed 434active COVID-19 cases in the area.

There has been atotal of 2,639 cases, which is 61 more than Friday.

Thirty-ninepeople have died but 2,166cases areresolved.

Burlington reported 82 active cases.

Haldimand-Norfolk

Haldimand and Norfolkreports 26active cases of the virus.

It hasseen 571positive cases of the virus since the pandemic began.

Thirty-two people have died of the virus, but 508cases have beenresolved.

Niagara

There have been 1,657cases of COVID-19 reported in Niagara, which is an increase of 18 since Sunday.

Data on the region's websitesays that 1,345of those cases are resolved and 235are active.

There have been 77deaths and thereare 15active outbreaks.