Closing Hamilton streets over COVID-19, and other updates from Niagara, Brant and H-N

 A group of residents is asking Hamilton city council to temporarily close James Street North so people have more space to walk during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A letter to city council says this would be a pilot project for other Hamilton street closures during the pandemic. Closing the streets to vehicles would mean more physical distance between pedestrians and cyclists, it says, and other cities have taken similar measures.

"We believe that this will benefit the community's mental health in regards to balancing the stresses associated with maintaining physical distance while trying to avoid vehicle traffic," says the letter, signed by 240 people, which city council will discuss Wednesday.

Not everybody thinks it's a good idea. Roberta Trunfio says the province extended emergency closures until mid-May, which is different from a four-day Supercrawl closure. Barricades would also interfere with emergency vehicles, she says.

As for physical distancing, Trunfio says people can use side streets.

"They most likely can walk the side streets without really coming into contact with anyone," she said in a letter to council. "Why is the solution they are putting forward to close down a major street?"

Overall, Hamilton has 355 COVID-19 cases today, including 348 confirmed and seven probable. Sixteen people have died and 153 have recovered.

That's up from 331 COVID-19 cases and 143 recoveries Monday. The number of people in hospital is steady at 19. 

Provincially, numbers are increasing. CBC News has collected data showing 675 deaths in Ontario, although the province reports 622. 

COVID-19 cases in Ontario have reached 11,735, with 551 new cases announced Tuesday.

Brant

The Brant County Health Unit, which includes Brantford, has 78 confirmed cases, up three from Monday. Fifty people have recovered, three have been hospitalized and three have died.

Brant County issued a statement today thanking people for donating personal protective equipment. 

"The community has been beyond generous to us," said Russell King, paramedic services chief.

"When we asked for help, over 40 people and businesses responded. We received much-needed masks, gloves and gowns. In addition, restaurants stopped by and brought us meals."

Haldimand-Norfolk

The Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit is reporting 166 cases, including 28 deaths. That's up from 163 confirmed and 26 deaths Monday.

Most of those deaths are at Anson Place Care Centre in Hagersville. Recent health units stats show cases are spread across Haldimand and Norfolk counties, but most are in Hagersville and Simcoe. 

Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, medical officer of health for the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit, has warned that Anson Place Care Centre could see more deaths this week.

Meanwhile, the Services Employees International Union (SEIU) has asked the province to take over operations of Anson Place, as well as Eatonville Care Centre in Etobicoke and Hawthorne Place Care Centre in Toronto. Rykka Care Centres, an operating partner of Responsive Group, owns all three homes.

The three centres and both companies are named in a court injunction filed by the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA).

Halton

Halton has 443 cases, five more than Monday. Of those, 386 are confirmed and 57 are probable. Sixteen people have died.

There are 76 confirmed and 10 probable cases in Burlington, the same as Monday. The health unit has declared a new outbreak at Martha's Landing in Burlington.

The City of Burlington, meanwhile, says if COVID-19 measures last until June 30, it will have a budget shortfall of $200,000, far short of Hamilton's estimate of $23 million.

Burlington says COVID-19 will cost it about $7.6 million in lost revenues, and drain $2.2 million from reserves. The pandemic will save the city $5.2 million in expenditures.

City council is looking at where it can cut costs to make up for the shortfall.

Niagara

Niagara has 385 confirmed cases, up one from Monday, and 147 have recovered. The region's cases are doubling every 13 days. About a third of the confirmed cases are at long-term care homes, and one-fifth are health-care workers. 

Thirty-three people have died. 

There are three declared outbreaks at Niagara Health's St. Catharines hospital. There are also outbreaks at Garden City Manor in St. Catharines, Albright Manor in Lincoln, Royal Rose Place in Welland, Seasons Welland and Lundy Manor in Niagara Falls.

Lundy Manor says 15 residents have died, including three recent deaths of residents who had been in hospital for the past two weeks.

Niagara's public health unit has tested all residents and staff, says Tim Foster, Oxford Living's vice president of strategy and business development. Forty-one residents and eight staff members have tested positive for COVID-19.

Twelve residents who contracted the virus and went to hospital have since returned to Lundy, he said. Seven are still in hospital.