City marks pandemic anniversary with lowered flag, video series

Since getting COVID-19, Waterdown resident Doriana Homerski has not been the same. She suffers many lingering symptoms from the virus, such as extreme fatigue, weakness, body pain, joint pain, brain fog, memory problems, and mental health challenges that have resulted from the change to her once-active lifestyle.

"I used to be a very athletic person," Homerski says in a video released by the City of Hamilton on Thursday. It includes pictures of her playing soccer before her illness. "I've kind of lost who I was and don't feel like I am the same person."

Homerski is one of 17 local residents who share their experiences of the pandemic in the first video of a series called "This is COVID-19." The city says it will share new videos over several weeks, part of an effort to mark a year since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared and when the first case was discovered in Hamilton. The city also lowered flags at most of its buildings on Thursday to honour people who died or were "seriously affected" by the virus.

On Thursday at 7 p.m., Hamilton's Cable 14 will air a COVID-19 retrospective show that looks at the pandemic's most significant local impacts of the past year, hosted by the city's Emergency Operations Centre director Paul Johnson and featuring interviews with several local officials including Mayor Fred Eisenberger and medical officer of health Dr. Elizabeth Richardson.

"Today, we remember and honour the lives we lost due to this virus and who were seriously affected," stated the mayor in a release. "Our hearts go out to the family, friends and loved ones who lost a family member or friend. Our fight continues, and we will overcome this virus. Until then, please continue to follow all public health and safety measures. Hamilton is resilient and will come out of this stronger than ever."

In the past year, 11,032 Hamiltonians have been infected by COVID-19, and 291 of those people have died.

The city reported two new deaths on Thursday and 56 new cases. There are 454 active cases in Hamilton, an increase of 13. St. Joseph's Healthcare is caring for 16 COVID-19 patients, while 33 are hospitalized at Hamilton Health Sciences. The HHS system is at 99 per cent capacity.

Variant cases are also rapidly increasing. On Wednesday, the city was reporting 128 cases that had screened positive and five confirmed cases. By Thursday the number of screened positive cases was up to 175.

There are currently 28 outbreaks in Hamilton, including new ones at Good Shepherd Women's Services' Admiral Inn, DHL Logistics in Mount Hope and St. Lawrence Catholic Elementary School in the North End.

As of the end of day Tuesday, 51,616 vaccine doses had been administered in Hamilton.

This is COVID-19: How has COVID-19 affected you?

Brant

Brant County reported 15 new cases on Thursday, bringing its total case count to 1,562. There are 59 active cases in the county, an increase of 12 from the previous day.

There were no new deaths. The county has seen 12 deaths from COVID since the start of the pandemic.

There have been 11 variant cases detected, although the strain is unconfirmed.

County health officials have administered 12,953 vaccine doses, and 2,548 people have been completely vaccinated.

Haldimand-Norfolk

The Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit is reporting six new cases since yesterday, to a total of 1,479. There are 41 active cases, an increase of two.

There have been no new deaths, with the total remaining at 39.

The counties have administered 10,555 vaccine doses and 1,581 people have been completely vaccinated.

Niagara

Niagara Region is reporting 27 new cases on Thursday and two new deaths. That brings the region's case count to a total of 8,837 cases and 371 deaths.

There were 231 active cases on Thursday, an increase of seven.

The area has seen four confirmed cases of the virus' United Kingdom variant, and 85 more that have been screened but not confirmed.

Niagara Region Public Health has issued 12,534 doses of the vaccine, while Niagara Health the hospital system has issued 21,872 doses.

Six Nations

Six Nations of the Grand River was reporting 403 total cases on Thursday, an increase of two from its previous update. There were no new deaths.

The community has 36 active cases, down two from the previous day.

Four people in the community are currently hospitalized, adecrease of one.

Halton

Halton Region reported 31 new cases on Thursday, bringing the total cases in the region to 9,914. There are 295 active cases, a reduction of five. There were no new deaths.

The region has confirmed 21 cases of COVID-19 variants and is still investigating 161 more that have screened positive.

The region has given out 33,255 doses of the vaccine.