Hamilton reported 34 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday and saw a bump in variant cases.
There have now been 81 positive screenings for a coronavirus variant after 16 more cases were identified by public health this week.
Of those, only four variant cases have actually been confirmed, all of which were the B.1.1.7 variant that first emerged in the U.K. There are no confirmed cases for any of the other subtypes of the coronavirus.
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Public health recorded two more deaths on Thursday – two people over 80 – with one tied to the outbreak at the M2 rehabilitation unit in the Juravinski hospital.
No new outbreaks were declared on Wednesday while two were closed at a workplace and a daycare.
The outbreak at Stelco lasted 17 days and involved six cases with staff members while the surge at the Umbrella Family and Child Centres at Cathy Wever Elementary School accounted for three cases among patrons.
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Hamilton has 22 current outbreaks involving more than 250 cases including seven at city shelters, six seniors homes, three hospitals, and a school.
Active cases dropped day over day by eight to 402 as of Thursday.
Almost 40,000 people have been vaccinated as of Wednesday with 27,000 getting shots through the Hamilton health Science (HHS) fixed site, around 750 through the St. Joe’s site, and close to 12,000 with the mobile clinic.
The city is operating five pop-up vaccination clinics at the Saltfleet Community Centre in Stoney Creek, Municipal Service Centre in Glanbrook/Mount Hope, the Ancaster Rotary Club, Dundas Community Centre and the Harry Howell Arena in Glanbrook.
Halton reports 38 new COVID-19 cases, 7 more variant cases
Halton Region reported 38 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday and seven new variant cases.
Public health has identified 97 total suspected variant cases as of March 4 with 19 confirmed.
Active cases are up by 13 day over day to 264 as of March 3.
The region reported no new deaths on Thursday and has had 198 COVID-19-connected deaths since the pandemic began.
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Halton has 19 active outbreaks which include 169 cases from five long-term care homes and 98 cases from three at retirement homes.
The region has had 9,628 total COVID-19 cases amid the pandemic.
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Halton Region opens up COVID-19 vaccination bookings for those 80 years old and over
Halton residents 80 years or older can now book online or call 311 to schedule an appointment to be vaccinated at a regional vaccination centre.
The clinics for 80 and over are expected to run during March and April. All appointments are contingent on the availability of vaccine supply.
So far, public health has administered 28,622 COVID-19 vaccines as of Tuesday. Close to 9,000 doses have been given out by mobile teams and just under 20,000 from fixed clinics as of Feb. 26.
Niagara reports 24 new COVID-19 cases, 41 total variant cases
Niagara public health reported 24 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday and added a new possible variant case.
The region now has 41 detected variant cases with two confirmed as the B.1.1.7 variant.
The region is now down to just two institutional outbreaks as of Thursday at the Tufford Manor Retirement Home and Revera Garden City Manor Long Term Care Home. Niagara has 17 community outbreaks as of March 4.
Public health administered another 156 COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday. Close to 11,000 doses have been given out in the region as of March 4.
Haldimand Norfolk reports six COVID-19 cases
Haldimand Norfolk reported just four new coronavirus cases on Wednesday and a slight drop in active cases by three to 27 as of March 3.
The region has now had 1,440 total COVID-19 cases amid the pandemic and 39 deaths.
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There is just one outbreak at a health-care facility involving one staff case the Cedar Crossing retirement home in Simcoe. The outbreak at the Grandview Lodge long-term care home in Dunnville was declared over on Wednesday.
Close to 6,500 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered with about 1,600 people having completed their series of shots.
Brant County reports five new COVID-19 cases, adds 3,000 vaccination bookings for seniors
Brant County’s Health Unit (BCHU) says it will be adding more than 3,000 COVID-19 vaccine appointments on Friday for adults over 80.
The agency projects the bookings will cover off about 85 per cent of residents in that age bracket when completed.
Like Hamilton, Brant is pushing forward with a makeshift phone-in and online booking initiative ahead of Ontario’s plan to offer up a portal on March 15. Times and dates for the bookings will be revealed after all the spots have been filled.
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The vaccinations are expected to be fulfilled at the Brantford clinic on Henry Street which is currently being used as an on-site/satellite facility.
Almost 9,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the county with about 2,500 having completed a series of shots.
Brant recorded just five new COVID-19 cases on Thursday. The region now has had 1,504 total cases since the pandemic began.
Active cases dropped slightly day over day by six with the region reporting 42 as of March 4.
Public health says there are two variant cases in the county but have not determined the lineage of the samples.