Grace Villa, Victoria Manor outbreaks declared over

Hamilton public health declared outbreaks at a longterm-care home and a residential care facility over in its update Tuesday.

Grace Villa on the east Mountain went back into outbreak Jan. 31 after its previous one — the city’s worst with 234 cases and 44 deaths — was declared over on Jan. 19.

Owned by APANS Health Services, the Lockton Crescent home had a single staff case in its latest outbreak, which ended with no deaths. Both the outbreaks at Grace Villa and residential care facility Victoria Manor were declared over as of Feb. 8.

Victoria Manor, near downtown, had 24 cases, including in 19 residents and five staff. The Martino-owned home reported no deaths in the outbreak.

The home provides residential care, which often serves low income individuals who need support for mental and physical health problems, addictions, or other needs.

Public health says it declares an outbreak over after 14 days with no new cases since the last onset of a symptom or last COVID-19 exposure within the facility.

Days after Grace Villa’s previous outbreak was declared over, a series of letters detailing disturbing allegations of conditions inside the home were released by area MPP Monique Taylor.

In them, workers mentioned residents lying on bare mattresses soaked with urine, others waiting 30 minutes for help after falling, and deaths that could have been prevented with better hydration.

The allegations led to calls for APANS’ licence to be revoked by Taylor, the worker’s union, and others.

Hamilton Health Sciences has held management powers at the home since Dec. 16, under a 90-day agreement approved by the province.

Rosslyn Retirement Residence on King and Main, also owned by the Martino families, was home to a large COVID outbreak in May which killed 16. Residents were evacuated from the home and transferred to hospital.

The Rosslyn, and multiple other homes owned by the Martinos, have since had their licences revoked.

There are 25 active outbreaks in the city.

Of those, 18 are institutional outbreaks, which mostly include seniors’ homes.