37 new COVID-19 cases in Hamilton as daily infection average begins to stabilize

COVID-19 has infected 37 more people in Hamilton as of Monday as the number of new daily cases in the cityis holding steady.

Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, Hamilton'smedical officer of health, said it is good news, but more needs to be done.

"We are having an average now of about 20 new cases per day, which is a stabilized number from where we were last week," she told media on Tuesday.

"We're just holding our own, we need to continue to see that stay levelor better yet, bring those numbers down even more."

She also explained an earlier uptick in cases may have been linked to Thanksgiving weekend celebrations, but that impact seems to be wearing off.

Hamilton has 162 active cases and a total of1,698 since the start of the pandemic according to city data. Public health reports the virus has killed 48 people while1,456 people have survived.

While some people are still ignoring pandemic-era rules like physical distancing or mandatory indoor masking, Richardson said compliance has been good overall and there have been fewer large gatherings.

"We could just easily slip back into habits that we used to do pre-COVID-19 and we know how difficult it is," Richardson said.

"The changes you're making, everybody is making, is helping Hamilton to keep our restrictions down."

4 student COVID-19 cases in Hamilton

Four students in Hamilton schools got COVID-19 on Monday and over the weekend.

A second Dundas Valley Secondary School student has the virus, but Hamilton's public school board said in a letter to families on Monday that the student was not in the building when there would be a risk of exposure.

"As such, HPHSconsiders the risk to other students and staff low," reads the note from PrincipalGail Cipriani.

The other three student COVID-19 cases are in schools at Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board.

A student atSt. John Henry Newman Catholic Secondary School who tested positive on Monday was last in the school on Friday. Astudent atSt. Marguerite d'Youville Catholic Elementary School who also tested positive Monday was last in class on Thursday.

Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School's student case of COVID-19 came in on Saturday. The student was last in school on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

No new outbreaks in Hamilton

There are 10 ongoing outbreaks in the city, none of them new.

Hamilton'slargest ongoing outbreak is at Spinco andmay have started because of a visit to a Toronto bar, health officials say.

Fifty-four primary cases (52 riders and two staff members) have been connected to the spin studio on James Street N., along with atleast31 secondary cases such as family, friends or other contacts who were exposed to people infected there.

Brant

Brant County Public Health reported fivenew cases of COVID-19on Monday. Thecounty has seen238cases during the pandemic. Of those, 24 are active, 209 are resolved and two are in hospital.

Five people with COVID-19 have died.

Halton

Public health officials in Halton reported18 new cases in the region on Monday. There have been 2,032since the pandemic began.

Data from the region shows 250 of those cases are active, while 1,754are resolved. Thirty-one people have died.

There aresix open outbreaks.

In Burlington, there are 81 active cases, 12 deaths and 485 recovered cases.

Haldimand-Norfolk

There have four new casesin Haldimand andNorfolk counties, bringing the total to 526 cases according to public health data.Of those, 26were active on Monday and 463recovered.

Thirty-two deaths in the counties are considered COVID-19-related.

Niagara

Statistics for Niagarashow the region has seen four new cases of COVID-19. There have been 1,351infections reported by public health as of Monday, including 1,176that are resolved.

There are 107active cases in the region and eight outbreaks are ongoing.

Sixty-eight people have died.

Six Nations

There were 20 active cases of the virus on Six Nations territory as of Sunday and one new case.

The First Nation has had a total of 81cases, 60 of which are resolved. One person with the virus has died.