One person has died in a declared coronavirus outbreak at a long-term care home in the Okanagan.
The person was a resident at Mountainview Village in Kelowna. It’s believed to be the first long-term care home death in the Interior Health region.
The Good Samaritan Society operates the 90-resident long-term care facility and it says it is working closely with Interior Health to mitigate all other possible transmission of the virus.
“Just want to take a moment to share our condolences with the family,” said Katherine Chubbs, CEO and president of the Good Samaritan Society. “We know this is very, very difficult.”
A second staff member has tested positive for COVID-19, increasing the total to three positive cases, and expanding the outbreak to the entire long-term care home.
IHA says more COVID-19 testing is currently underway.
In a statement, Interior Health CEO Susan Brown said “we are saddened to report the fourth COVID-19 related death has occurred in Interior Health since the beginning of the pandemic.”
Brown continued, saying “today, the first long-term care home resident in Interior Health to contract COVID-19 has passed away at Mountainview Village. We offer our condolences to the family and caregivers during this difficult time.
“Interior Health will continue working closely with Mountainview’s administration and staff as we combat COVID-19 together.”
Dr. Silvina Mema, a medical health officer, says Interior Health has been preparing for this moment and is using other situations across the province as a guide on how to handle a long-term care home outbreak.
“We have put all the measures in place already in the building to prevent the transmission of COVID-19,” Mema told Global News.
“We have had a third case, another staff person, who worked one day on the first floor of that building.
“This individual did not work while symptomatic, they did not have symptoms while in the facility — but did work a shift two days prior to developing symptoms. And because of that, we consider that person infectious.”
Mema says no new positive tests have appeared so far among residents in the latest rounds of testing, and that they’re continuing to monitor the situation.
In related news, Interior Health reported 82 new overnight cases, and that 609 cases are active and isolating. Also, 16 people are in hospital, including four in intensive care.