Hamiltonian in their 40s dies of COVID

Highly transmissible subvariant Kraken spreading, care homes remain vulnerable

The city has reported the COVID-19 death of a Hamiltonian in their 40s, the 10th local pandemic fatality in this age group.

While overall COVID spread continues to decrease locally, new data from Public Health Ontario details the fast spread of the highly transmissible subvariant Kraken in Hamilton.

The variant — officially named XBB.1.5 — made up three per cent of Hamilton’s cases from Dec. 18 to Jan. 14. That is a major jump from 0.6 per cent from Dec. 11 to Jan 7.

Kraken made up nearly nine per cent of cases in Haldimand and Norfolk during that time, one of the highest rates in Ontario.

It’s expected to be much higher now with Public Health Ontario estimating XBB.1.5 made up just over 44 per cent of Ontario’s cases by Feb. 1.

Large outbreaks have shown Hamilton seniors’ homes continue to be vulnerable to COVID.

Parkview Nursing Centre had 73 positive tests and two deaths in an ongoing outbreak at the west Hamilton long-term care home that was declared on Jan. 9.

The Village of Wentworth Heights Retirement Home on the central Mountain has had 67 cases and one death since Jan. 5. The long-term care home at the same site had 42 cases in an outbreak that was declared over on Jan. 23.

Heritage Green Long Term Care in Stoney Creek has had 45 test positive and one death in an outbreak from Jan. 4 to Jan. 31.

Overall, Hamilton had 12 ongoing respiratory and enteric outbreaks in high-risk settings as of Saturday. Nine of the outbreaks were COVID, one was respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), one was gastroenteritis and one was rhinovirus.

Seven of the outbreaks were in seniors’ homes, two in group homes and three in hospitals — two at the Charlton Campus of St. Joseph’s Healthcare and one at the Satellite Health Facility.

The city reported two COVID deaths from Jan. 24 to Feb. 3 to bring Hamilton’s pandemic fatalities to 671. One of the deaths was a Hamiltonian in their 40s and the other was a senior over 80.

Both flu and COVID were on a downward trend in the city’s weekly update on Feb. 1.

“COVID-19 transmission in Hamilton is moderate and decreasing,” stated the report. “Influenza transmission in Hamilton is low and decreasing.”