The director of Ontario’s Science Table, who’s been advising the Ford government on the COVID-19 pandemic, says residents letting their guard down over the last few months is likely the reason for recent spikes in coronavirus cases in cities like Hamilton.
Dr. Peter Juni says individuals not following distancing and mask rules, plus the efficiency of coronavirus variants, appear to be key in the spread according to the agency’s recent studies.
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“It’s just acknowledging that the success of this virus is based on the pure fact it gets transmitted before every single one of us knows we’re ill,” Juni told Global News.
“That’s when it gets transmitted and this risk is increased now.”
Juni says the face of the pandemic has changed somewhat with the introduction of variants and vaccines, creating a proverbial race between the two in hopes of ending the pandemic.
He goes on to say, as effective as vaccines are, they don’t necessarily stem the spread of the virus from a person who has had a shot.
“We can still be silent carriers,” according to Juni.
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“It means we need also to keep alert even when we have received the first dose.”
Hamilton reports COVID-19 death, large outbreak over at shelter
Hamilton reported 113 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday and another virus-related death.
The city’s 316th death amid the pandemic was a resident in their 70s, according to public health
A large outbreak at the Salvation Army’s York Boulevard location downtown has ended, after 50 days. The facility reported 63 cases during the surge, but no deaths.
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Public health says there are three new outbreaks as of Thursday at a school, a retirement home and a church.
The largest is the surge at the Providence Canadian Reformed Church in Ancaster which involves six cases among patrons.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux Catholic Elementary on the Mountain is the latest to join the growing list of schools in active outbreaks. The facility has two student cases and a case with one staffer.
There are now 14 active outbreaks in schools, tied to 46 cases, all at the elementary level.
The new outbreak at the Carrington Place retirement home in Ancaster involves just a single worker.
Hamilton has 46 outbreaks across the city as of April 1 involving more than 340 cases and 15 deaths.
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The city’s two hospital systems have a combined 97 patients being treated for COVID-19, 70 at Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) facilities and 26 at St. Joe’s.
St. Joe’s hospitals are reporting acute care occupancy at 96 per cent as of Thursday with HHS reporting 86 per cent occupancy.
Five area hospitals are experiencing outbreaks as of Thursday, accounting for 122 cases since mid-March and 14 virus-related deaths.
Active cases are up day over day by 41 to 816 as of April 1.
There have now been 12,967 total coronavirus cases since the pandemic began last year.
Hamilton’s vaccine program reaches 100,000 doses administered
Hamilton surpassed 100,000 in doses administered of COVID-19 vaccines as of Thursday.
The city reported 100,332 vaccine doses have been put into residents’ arms as of April 1. The clinic at Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) has administered the bulk of the shots, having jabbed about 50,000. Around 20,000 shots have been given at the St. Joe’s site, 18,000 through the mobile clinics, more than 7,000 at the large site at First Ontario and 5,000 in primary care settings.
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Around 16.4 per cent of the city’s population had received a vaccine as of the end of March, according to public health.
