Hamilton mayor to hold COVID-19 briefing this afternoon as cases continue to rise

Hamilton | Community | COVID |

By

Published December 14, 2021 at 2:10 pm

Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger. (File photo)

Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger and the City’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, will provide a COVID-19 update Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 14) as cases numbers appear to be on the rise.

On Tuesday, the City reported 44 newly confirmed cases bringing the total number of active cases in the community at the moment to 411, which is an increase from 348 on Monday.

The seven day average for new cases is also up to 53 — up from 48 on Monday. It the first time since early September the number has risen above 50.

There are currently 20 active outbreaks in a variety of settings across Hamilton.

Hamilton hospitals are treating 26 patients for COVID-19-related illnesses, of which fewer than five are in local ICUs.

Eisenberger’s update at 4 p.m. will follow a briefing by Ontario’s top doctor, Dr. Kieran Moore, who is scheduled to provide an update on the provincial situation at 3 p.m Tuesday.

The briefing comes as more Ontario public health units imposed stricter health measures or issued new guidance in light of the fast-spreading Omicron variant.

The province’s panel of expert advisers on COVID-19 estimated Monday that Omicron makes up 30 per cent of new daily infections, with cases doubling every three days.

Ontario reported 1,429 new COVID-19 cases and virus deaths on Tuesday.

There were 162 people in intensive care due to COVID-19, including 98 people on ventilators.

Provincial data said 80 per cent of people aged five and older have two shots of a COVID-19 vaccine and 85 per cent have at least one dose.

There were 95 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in Ontario on Tuesday. But public health officials have said they expect the number is much higher, and the strain — believed to be highly transmissible — will soon become dominant.

To learn more about the City of Hamilton’s COVID-19 response and vaccination rollout, visit the city’s website.

— with a file from The Canadian Press

insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising