Flu outbreaks are causing health officials to take special measures at care homes across British Columbia.
In Saanich, there have been 20 confirmed cases of the flu at the Heights at Mount View.
There’s a quarantine in place and no word when it will be lifted.
Meanwhile, five residential care homes in the Okanagan are also taking special measures after a flu outbreak earlier this week. According to Interior Health Authority (IHA), some seniors and other residents, who became ill at the facilities, have been isolated in their rooms in an effort to control the spread.
The health authority is restricting admissions to the five care homes until the outbreak is over.
Interior Health says care homes affected include:
- Trinity Care Centre (Penticton)
- Village by the Station (Penticton)
- Westview Place (Penticton)
- Village at Smith Creek (Vernon)
- The Gateby (Vernon)
Shannon Henderson with Fraser Health told Global News people must wear a mask if they haven’t been vaccinated against the flu and are visiting care homes in accordance with a province-wide policy.
Henderson says they often see higher than normal cases of influenza this time of year, and encourage anyone not feeling well to avoid visiting care facilities.
We are seeing a higher than normal number of cases of the flu at some of our residential care sites, and have put in some measures to protect the health of our residents by restricting the transfer of residents into and out of the facilities, and implementing enhanced cleaning measures, she says.
But Henderson says seeing somewhat higher than typical numbers of outbreaks in residential care facilities this year is not out of the ordinary.
“Fortunately, while we do have several confirmed influenza outbreaks,” says Henderson. “Most of the residents who are affected have mild symptoms and the outbreaks have been controlled quickly when the facilities implement their outbreak control measures.”
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