Interior Health now dealing with 10 COVID-19 outbreaks

There have been 71 new cases of COVID-19 in Interior Health (from Jan. 5 to Jan. 6), bringing to 4,310 the total number of cases in the health region. There has also been another death — involving a resident in the Heritage Square long-term care home in Vernon — bringing to 34 the number of people in Interior Health who have died of the disease.

“Sadly, today we report another COVID-related death in long-term care. I want to take the time to offer my condolences to the loved ones and caregivers,” Interior Health president and CEO Susan Brown said. “We are seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases throughout Interior Health, so please, stay home if you are feeling unwell, get tested and use your layers of protection.”

In Interior Health, there are 785 active cases, with 33 people in hospital, nine of whom are in intensive care.

There remain a number of COVID-19 outbreaks in the health region:

• An outbreak has been declared at Sunnybank long-term care in Oliver, with four staff cases connected to it.

• Creekside Landing long-term care in Vernon has 13 cases: 10 residents and three staff.

• Williams Lake Seniors Village has two cases: one resident and one staff.

• Noric House long-term care in Vernon has 10 cases: eight residents and two staff.

• Heritage Square long-term care in Vernon has 31 cases: 21 residents and 10 staff, with two deaths connected to the outbreak.

• Heritage Retirement Residence in West Kelowna has 42 cases: 37 residents and five staff, with one death connected to the outbreak.

• Teck mining operations in the Elk Valley in the Kootenays remain at 16 IH cases.

• McKinney Place long-term care in Oliver has 77 cases: 54 residents and 23 staff, with 13 deaths connected to the outbreak.

• Village by the Station long-term care in Penticton has nine cases: five residents and four staff, with one death connected to this outbreak.

• Mountainview Village long-term care in Kelowna has 16 cases: eight residents and eight staff, with two deaths connected to the outbreak.

For information on how and where to get tests, call 811.

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