12 Hamilton students, 1 staff member test positive for COVID-19

Twelve more students and one staff member have tested positive for COVID-19 in Hamilton-area schools as of Wednesday. 

Of those, two are students at Redeemer University, which is currently managing an outbreak.

Both of them live on campus, the university said. This comes after two student cases were confirmed last week, for a total of five COVID-19 cases this semester.

"All four students who tested positive in the last week of the term are recovering and isolating with guidance from public health," said a statement from Redeemer University on its website.

7 HWDSB students, 1 staff member infected

A pair of Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School students have tested positive, according to Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board.

All close contacts have been notified and told to self-isolate for 14 days, said Principal Marco Barzetti in a statement to families. The general school community has been asked to self-monitor for symptoms.

The board said Hamilton Public Health Services (HPHS) did not declare an outbreak at the school.

"HWDSB and our school are working closely with Public Health to ensure appropriate measures are in place to prevent the spread of illness to other students or people in the school community," said Barzetti in the statement.

One staff member at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Elementary School also tested positive. Close contacts have been notified, with affected families and staff members asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

"HPHS will connect with close contacts as part of their contact tracing process," the school said.

The board said no outbreak will be declared at the elementary school.

At other schools, one student has tested positive at:

• Nora Frances Henderson Secondary School.
•  Sherwood Secondary School.
• Orchard Park Secondary School.
• Saltfleet District High School.
• Remote Learning Program.

The risk to other students and staff is considered low at at Nora Frances Henderson, Sherwood or Orchard Park Secondary School, according to statements on the school websites.

No other students or staff were close contacts at those schools, the principals said, and the infected students were not in the building when there was risk of exposure.

The board added there was no epidemiological link to prior cases at these schools, so outbreaks have not been declared at Nora Frances Henderson, Sherwood or Orchard Park Secondary School.

4 Catholic school students test positive

Three Catholic school students tested positive for COVID-19 according to Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board.

A pair of students at St. Michael Catholic Elementary School are infected. One of them was last in school on Dec. 15.

"Any students, staff or cohorts that are required to self-isolate will be notified immediately by the school and will be contacted by HPHS within the next two days," read a message to families from the school.

The other student was last in school on Dec. 14 but had no close contacts and poses no risk to others, according to the board.

A St. Jean de Brébeuf Catholic Secondary School student also has the virus, but had no school-related close contacts.

One student at École élémentaire catholique Monseigneur-de-Laval has also tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir.

Six more deaths in Hamilton

Meanwhile, Hamilton Public Health Services (HPHS) recorded 132 more COVID-19 cases and six more deaths in the city.

A total of 5,158 cases have been confirmed in Hamilton since the pandemic began. Of those, 1,059 are active and 3,903 are resolved.

Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, the city's medical officer of health, said there may be issues with the daily reporting of cases over the next few days due to tech issues, and to focus on the weekly rate of new cases per 100,000 people. That weekly rate has grown, from 115.3 cases to 124.3.

In the past seven days, 3.9 per cent of COVID-19 tests have come back positive.

The city is reporting 32 active outbreaks.

There is a new outbreak reported at the Dundurn Place Care Centre, where one staff member tested positive. An outbreak was also reported at the Lynwood Charlton Centre – Augusta Site, where a staff member has tested positive.

One new death in Halton

In Halton, there are 67 new COVID-19 cases and one more person has died.

The region's public health unit is reporting a total case count of 5.224.

Of those, 452 cases are active and 4,675 are resolved.

Ninety-seven people have died.

Brant

Meanwhile, public health officials recorded 14 new COVID-18 cases in Brant County on Wednesday.

The region has reported a total of 772 cases since the pandemic began, including 109 that are active and 658 that are resolved.

Four people with the virus are currently hospitalized and five have died.

Haldimand-Norfolk

Haldimand-Norfolk counties reported five new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, for a total of 822 cases since the pandemic began.

Of those, 74 cases are active and 709 are recovered.

The region did not report any new deaths.

Haldimand-Norfolk public health officials have reported 34 COVID-related deaths since the pandemic started.

Niagara

Public health officials in the Niagara region recorded 79 new cases on Wednesday.

The region has a total of 3,235 cases, including 622 that are active and 2,514 that are resolved.

Niagara did not report any new deaths from the virus, remaining at the current total of 99.

There are 22 active outbreaks.