Coronavirus: Interior Health officials announce 57 new cases

Interior Health reported 57 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday afternoon.

The new cases are above the daily case average of 47 that the health agency reported during a five-day span between Dec. 25 and 29.

During that time period, Interior Health announced 239 cases and 10 deaths.

On Wednesday, though, no new deaths were reported. The region’s total death rate remains at 28.

With the 57 new cases, the Interior Health region’s total number of cases rose to 3,806.

Of those, 3,142 have recovered, while 636 are considered active and are isolating, with 36 people in hospital, including six in intensive care.

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Update on outbreaks in the Okanagan:

• Noric House long-term care in Vernon: Six cases (5 residents, 1 staff member).
• Heritage Square long-term care in Vernon: 19 cases (12 residents, 7 staff members).
• Heritage Retirement Residence in West Kelowna: 30 cases (25 residents, 5 staff members). One death connected to this outbreak.
• McKinney Place long-term care in Oliver: 75 cases (54 residents, 21 staff members). Twelve deaths connected to this outbreak.
• Village by the Station long-term care in Penticton: 9 cases (5 residents, 4 staff members). One death connected to this outbreak.
• Mountainview Village long-term care in Kelowna: 16 cases (8 residents, 8 staff members). Two deaths connected to this outbreak.

In related news, The Hamlets at Vernon posted on its Facebook page that a team member at the retirement residence has tested positive for COVID-19.

“We are not in a COVID outbreak, we have just had a potential exposure due to one positive result from a team member,” the Hamlets at Vernon said on its Facebook page, adding there are no residents showing symptoms.

“The Centre Disease Unit and medical health officer state that we are low risk, as the team member was following proper infection control precautions while at work.

“We have chosen as a site to maintain strict precautions for the rest of the week, to ensure the safety of all our residents and team members.”

To view the B.C. Centre of Disease Control’s latest COVID-19 data, click here.