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COVID-19 outbreak declared at Nanaimo Regional Hospital

The B.C. government has unveiled its timeline for vaccinating more than four million people against COVID-19, almost entirely based on age. Richard Zussman tells us who might move up in the queue, and who might now have to wait a while longer – Jan 22, 2021

Health officials have reported a COVID-19 outbreak in yet another hospital, this time in Nanaimo.

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Island Health said Saturday that two staff members and a patient at Nanaimo Regional Hospital have tested positive for the virus.

The outbreak is limited to the east wing of the fourth floor, the health authority said in a media release.

The first staff member tested positive on Jan. 19, it said, at which point the hospital boosted infection control and started contact tracing.

Sixty-three patients and 58 staff have been tested, it said.

“Through broad testing of patients and staff who may have been exposed, one patient and one staff member were identified as positive for COVID-19. Communication with patients, families and staff is ongoing,” Island Health said in a media release.

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The wing is closed to new admissions, and its staff are barred from working in other parts of the hospital during the outbreak, the health authority said.

The hospital previously saw an outbreak in November.

It is the latest in a string of B.C. hospitals to face COVID-19 outbreaks in recent weeks.

On Friday, outbreaks were declared at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops and Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster.

Vancouver’s St. Paul’s Hospital is dealing with three outbreaks, one in the cardiac unit, one in a renal unit, and one in a medicine unit.

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