Interior Health (IH) has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at a long-term care home in Oliver, B.C. after eight residents tested positive for the virus.
IH said it’s implementing additional infection control and prevention measures at McKinney Place, which is connected to the South Okanagan General Hospital.
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Second COVID-19 outbreak declared at Village by the Station in Penticton
Health officials said the outbreak does not include the hospital.
McKinney Place, which is operated by Interior Health, has 61 residents living in the long-term care section of the facility.
Interior Health said “extensive testing” of staff and residents is underway.
“To protect the safety of everyone at the home, outbreak protocols are in place, including a pause in all visits to the long-term care unit,” IH said in a statement issued Sunday night.
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Coronavirus: First Interior Health care home resident infected with COVID-19
It’s believed to be the largest COVID-19 outbreak involving care home residents in B.C.’s Southern Interior since the pandemic began.
Care home outbreaks declared earlier this year were limited to test-positive staff, but in late November, a care home resident at Mountainview Village in Kelowna, became the first in the region to contract the virus, and later died.
IH’s president urged people to follow COVID-19 guidance to protect those living in long-term care.
“We all have a role to play to stop the spread in our communities, and I’m asking everyone to stick close to home right now and keep to your household,” Susan Brown said in a statement.
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Get rapid tests into care homes now, says B.C. seniors’ advocate
Meanwhile, a second COVID-19 outbreak was declared at Village by the Station long-term care in Penticton over the weekend.
One resident and one staff member have tested positive for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
It’s the second outbreak at the Penticton care home in less than a month.
All active facility outbreaks in IH can be found here.
