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The number of new COVID-19 cases in Hamilton jumped sharply Sunday as the province gradually clears up a backlog of test results.

Hamilton reported 18 new cases Sunday, the city's largest one-day increase since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, bringing the total number of cases to 70.

But Hamilton's public health department says the increase is largely tied to the processing of outstanding tests of cases that date back up to two weeks ago.

"The symptom onset dates of these cases range over the time period March 13 to present," Hamilton public health stated.

It also notes that higher numbers of confirmed cases are expected for Hamilton through April 4.

Among the new cases is a worker at the Good Shepherd Centres, who has not been in the workplace since March 16.

In an email to staff, the Good Shepherd Centres did not specify where the worker was employed but said the worker is recovering and expected to return to work after being cleared by public health.

The only new case reported Saturday was a nurse who works at McMaster Children's Hospital, according to a spokesperson for Hamilton Health Sciences. It's the second case so far involving a Hamilton nurse.

Hamilton's public health department notified HHS Friday that a nurse in McMaster Children's Hospital had a positive test for the virus.

"The nurse did the right thing by contacting HHS Employee Health Services as soon as they started experiencing symptoms," said HHS spokesperson Lillian Badzioch. "Those who met exposure criteria with the nurse were directed to go into self-isolation at home."

Badzioch said HHS is continuing to work with Hamilton public health "to identify and inform any other individuals that may be associated with this case.

"There are well-established processes in place between hospitals and Hamilton public health to address presumptive and positive cases swiftly and safely," Badzioch said.

She also stated the nurse's work area has been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

On March 26, a dialysis nurse who works at St. Joseph's Healthcare and Hamilton General Hospital tested positive for COVID-19.

There have been 91 health-care workers across Ontario who have tested positive for COVID-19, according to numbers provided by the province Saturday.

About 40 per cent of Hamilton's confirmed cases are people between the ages of 20 and 44.

Halton reported five new cases Sunday, bringing its total to 25. The latest cases include four people from Burlington - two women in their 30s, a man in his 40s and a man in his 60s. All four are self-isolating.

One of Halton's cases was a sworn officer with Halton Regional Police Service.

Halton police state the officer has been off since March 19 and does not have a role that interacts with the public.

Haldimand-Norfolk has reported its first death related to COVID-19 - a resident of Anson Place Care Centre in Hagersville who died March 26 at West Haldimand General Hospital.

Across Ontario, there have been 23 deaths including one in Hamilton and one in Halton.

On Sunday, the province reported its largest single-day increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases.

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The number of cases jumped by 211 from Saturday to a total of 1,355 confirmed cases, up from 1,144.

Quebec had 2,840 cases, a rise of more than 800 from Friday. B.C. reported 884 as of Saturday afternoon.

On Saturday, Dr. David Williams, Ontario's chief medical officer, said there were currently 63 COVID-19 patients in Ontario ICU beds and of those, 46 were on ventilators. No breakdown was provided of where the patients were located.

Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Ontario's associate medical officer of health, said the province has been slowly clearing away the backlog of tests that needed to be analyzed, which now stands at 7,200, down from 10,000 late last week.

"More work to be done but it's going in the right direction," Yaffe said.

The number of COVID-19 tests being performed each day in Ontario is expected to reach 5,000 early this week and 19,000 per day by mid-April.

Williams said there are now 77 COVID-19 assessment sites in operation across the province.

Meanwhile, the elected band council of Six Nations of the Grand River has voted unanimously to erect barricades beginning Monday to restrict the flow of visitors to the territory in an effort to reduce transmission of coronavirus.

"This is a decision we did not take lightly," said Chief Mark Hill. "We were compelled to do this to protect our people."

Hill would not say if the barricades will be staffed around the clock.

Six Nations reported its first two positive COVID-19 tests Saturday. Both individuals are self-isolating and Ohsweken public health officials are tracing any people who may have had contact with the people who tested positive.

And The Bridge, a program that helps inmates transition from prison to the community, announced Saturday it is suspending its Halton program because of challenges it's facing from the COVID-19 outbreak.

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