COVID-19 cases at Central Okanagan seniors facilities plateau as Interior Health numbers decline

The spread of COVID-19 at Central Okanagan care homes seems to have slowed significantly in the last week.

Since infections started to spike in the Kelowna area in August, there have been 142 cases related to COVID-19 outbreaks in seven seniors facilities and 20 related deaths. This is up from 139 cases and 19 deaths just a week ago, on Sept. 9.

2:34 Interior Health loosens COVID-19 restrictions for vaccinated people

Of the cases, 98 have been among residents and another 44 were among staff members. Now six care homes remain on outbreak status from the original seven.

Most affected by the outbreaks has been David Lloyd Jones long-term care in Kelowna, which has reported 55 cases among 41 residents and 14 staff. There were seven deaths connected to the outbreak.

Cottonwoods long term care was similarly hard hit, with 30 cases among 20 residents and 10 staff, with six deaths connected to the outbreak.

2:16 B.C. health minister provides details on unvaccinated ICU patients with COVID-19

Brookhaven Care Centre in West Kelowna has 17 cases, with 10 residents and seven staff, and three deaths connected to the outbreak.

Village at Mill Creek assisted living/independent living in Kelowna has 12 cases among seven residents and five staff with two deaths connected to the outbreak.

Spring Valley Care Centre long-term care in Kelowna had 15 cases among 11 residents and four staff, with two deaths connected to the outbreak.

Sun Pointe Village assisted living/independent living in Kelowna has eight resident cases, with one death connected to the outbreak.

2:46 According to Interior Health, there’s been an uptake in people getting their first dose of vaccine since vaccine card announcement was made

The current stagnation of cases within the Central Okanagan seems to be reflected in the larger population. While current Okanagan-specific COVID-19 numbers aren’t readily available, the provincial ministry of health’s daily case numbers for health regions and Interior Health, which covers much of the Southern Interior has, shown some progress.

Of the 677 new cases across the province reported on Tuesday, 153 were within Interior Health. There are still 1,583 active cases in the region.
That’s the lowest new case count in weeks.

2:24 Interior Health hosts vaccine clinics at schools

And, while Interior Health may be showing some progress, things aren’t necessarily as rosy everywhere else.

Fraser Health is now leading the province for new cases, reporting 237 new cases in the area. There were 102 in the Vancouver Coastal health region, 99 in the Northern health region, and 86 on Vancouver Island.

Ten more people are in hospital with COVID-19, bringing the total to 288, an increase of 10 from Monday. Nearly half of those patients are in intensive care.

B.C.’s COVID-19 death toll is now 1,866.