Provincial data shows Hamilton has the fourth highest number of COVID-19 cases per week per 100,000 people at 109 as of Dec. 17. On Monday, that number was at 114. Hamilton also has the fifth highest COVID-19 test positivity rate at 4.3 per cent (which means 4.3 per cent of all COVID-19 tests in Hamilton are positive). Monday's rate is at 3.9 per cent, but the local medical officer of health, Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, has said anything above three per cent impacts the effectiveness of contact-tracing efforts. Mayor Fred Eisenberger said on Monday this year there will not be any free HSR transportation on New Year's Eve in an effort to only have people use transit for essential purposes.