Coronavirus: Outbreak declared at South Okanagan retirement home

A coronavirus outbreak has been declared at a retirement home in the South Okanagan.

Interior Health says four staff members at Sunnybank Retirement Home in Oliver have tested positive for COVID-19.

The health agency says those who were in close contact with the four are now self-isolating and monitoring for symptoms.

Interior Health says it operates the publicly funded facility, which has 51 long-term-care beds.

“Interior Health will continue to monitor the situation while implementing additional infection control and preventive measures,” the health agency said.

“To protect the safety of all residents, outbreak protocols are in place, including a pause in all visits at this site.”

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Interior Health said its steps to protect staff and residents include:

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• ensuring long-term care staff members are only working at one care home
• monitoring all residents for respiratory symptoms and doing COVID-19 testing on anyone with COVID-19 symptoms
• enhanced cleaning protocols and COVID-19 visitor policies

Another long-term-care facility in Oliver, McKinney Place, is also undergoing an outbreak.

During Tuesday’s regional update, IH said McKinney Place had 77 confirmed cases of COVID-19 (54 residents, 23 staff members), and that 13 deaths are connected to the outbreak.

On Wednesday, though, Interior Health said there’s no indication of any connection between the Sunnybank outbreak and the McKinney Place outbreak.

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