Interior Health has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at a private long-term care home in Vernon, B.C., after 10 people connected to the facility tested positive for the disease caused by the coronavirus.
The health authority said four staff members and six residents are infected at Heritage Square.
Close contacts have been told to self-isolate over the Christmas holidays and families of residents who tested positive for COVID-19 have been contacted directly, IH said.
Additional infection control and preventative measures are being implemented to try to stop the spread of transmission.
Heritage Square is a private long-term care and assisted living facility operated by Kaigo.
The six residents who have tested positive all reside in the long-term care areas of the facility.
The operator has implemented a temporary stop to all visits across the site as an added precaution.
On Monday, Interior Health also declared an outbreak at Noric House in Vernon.
IH said one staff member and five residents tested positive for the disease.
Noric House is an Interior Health owned and operated care home with 85 publicly funded beds.
Outbreaks remain active at Mountainview Village long-term care in Kelowna, McKinney Place long-term care in Oliver, Village by the Station long-term care in Penticton, and the Heritage Retirement Residence in West Kelowna.
As of Dec. 24, the most recent data available, there were 675 active cases of COVID-19 in Interior Health, including 29 people in hospital and six ICU patients.
The coronavirus pandemic is continuing to ravage McKinney Place in the South Okanagan with 75 cases.
Last Wednesday, health officials announced another death related to COVID-19 at McKinney Place, bringing the total to eight deaths at the care home.
“Despite hope on the horizon in the fight against COVID-19, the terrible impacts of this pandemic continue to affect people throughout the Interior,” Susan Brown, president and CEO of Interior Health, said.
“Sadly today we report another COVID-19 related death at McKinney Place long-term care in Oliver; the eighteenth Interior Health death since the start of this challenging pandemic,” Brown wrote on Dec. 23.
“Our condolences go out to the loved ones and caregivers of the latest person to succumb to COVID-19 in the Interior. Each death reminds us of the important commitment we must all make to follow the public health guidance that will keep us safe as the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more available throughout the region.”
Due to the holidays, Interior Health said it will not provide an update on local COVID-19 case counts until Tuesday, Dec. 29.
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