Another resident has died in the spreading COVID-19 outbreak at Hamilton’s Cardinal Retirement Residence.

A 94-year-old woman died April 12 at the residence at 10 Herkimer St. At the same time, another staff member has tested positive, bringing the total to 22 infected residents and 13 staff.

Hamilton’s hospitals continue to prepare for an expected surge with multiple sources saying patients will be moved to the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel on King Street West in roughly one week.

The sources say Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) is planning to use the hotel for dozens of patients who don’t have the virus.

“For me, it’s very important to help the community,” said Darko Vranich, owner of the Sheraton.

Both HHS and St. Joseph’s are working to move as many patients as possible out of hospitals in their attempt to have roughly 1,500 beds ready for COVID-19. Their plan includes temporary hospitals in hotels or convention centres.

“Work is still underway to secure alternative space and details about the location will be shared when available,” HHS said in a statement.

No charges were laid over the long weekend under the city’s new physical-distancing bylaw. But visitors to Albion Falls continue to be a problem despite the popular destination being closed with no available parking.

“I know how beautiful it is,” said Paul Johnson, director of Hamilton’s Emergency Operations Centre. “I know how wonderful it is. Please do not go there.”

Hamilton had 14 new confirmed cases Monday, bringing its total to 256. Of those, 38 have ever been hospitalized and 114 have recovered.

Frank’s No Frills at 675 Rymal Rd. E. temporarily closed its store Monday for deep cleaning after announcing a staff member had tested positive. It’s expected to reopen Tuesday.

Employees who may have come into close contact have been advised to self-isolate and public health is investigating.

No Frills contacted shoppers who had visited the grocery store around the employee’s last shift April 9 “out of an abundance of caution” saying it takes the safety of its employees and customers “very seriously.”

Provincewide, there were 7,470 confirmed cases of COVID-19 Monday, up from 7,049 on Sunday.

Haldimand and Norfolk had 144 confirmed cases while Six Nations has had nine.

Halton had 36 new confirmed cases and is now at 315, including 57 in Burlington. It also has 40 probable cases, including 11 in Burlington.

Halton was up to 11 deaths on April 12 although it has not provided any details yet for the last nine.

Hamilton has now had nine deaths — all seniors between the ages of 70 and 100.

Four of the deaths have been at Cardinal and three at an outbreak at Heritage Green Nursing Home. The Stoney Creek long-term care centre has had 11 residents and three staff infected.

There are also outbreaks at five other seniors’ homes, including one infected staff member each at Wentworth Lodge in Dundas, Chartwell Deerview Crossing Retirement Residence on Rymal Road West and Clarion Nursing Home in Stoney Creek.

Two residents have tested positive at Kingsberry Retirement Residence on Limeridge Road East.

“We’re all watching and monitoring very closely,” Hamilton’s medical officer of health Dr. Elizabeth Richardson said about the potential rapid spread of the virus in these homes.

“We have very much put a ring around these institutions in order to protect people,” she said. “But people do still come and go in terms of the staff who are there or essential visitors … There is community spread that is occurring out there that any of those people could have contact with while they are outside of the institution.”

It’s a provincewide problem with Halton having six outbreaks in long-term care centres and retirement homes including Park Avenue Manor in Burlington.

A devastating outbreak at Anson Place in Hagersville has now claimed the lives of 15 residents. More than half of the residents are infected and at least 30 staff in quarantine.

“Some of the workers were working in two or three different care settings and they inadvertently brought the virus into the homes,” Health Minister Christine Elliott said about the spread in long-term care across Ontario.

“The chief medical officer of health has strongly recommended that people only work in one facility with the hope they will be able to increase their hours,” she said. “For some people it’s an economic necessity for them to work in two or three homes where they have put together enough part-time hours to make a full-time job.”

But unions and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath have put the blame squarely on the province saying long-standing issues in long-term care such as understaffing, low pay, a lack of full-time jobs and shortages of supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE) have resulted in tragedy during COVID-19.

“It is absolutely a perfect storm headed directly for disaster,” said Candace Rennick, Ontario secretary-treasurer for Canadian Union of Public Employees.

The province says it’s making sure staff who care for those with COVID-19 symptoms don’t also work with well residents. It’s also directed workers and essential visitors to wear procedure masks at all times.

“We know probably about 48 hours before people become symptomatic with COVID-19 that they can spread the virus so wearing a mask as a preventive measure is really important to try to stop that spread,” said Richardson.

But it also raises questions about whether there is a big enough supply of masks to meet this demand.

“The one thing that continues to put pressure on it is these new directives that come out that change the burn rate for PPE,” said Johnson about the amount of masks used at the city’s two long-term care centres, Wentworth and Macassa lodges.

“We are today re-evaluating the timing it will take in terms of when we’ll get into critical shortages because there are changes in long-term care.”