COVID-19: Kelowna General Hospital reports outbreak, implements control measures

There’s been a COVID-19 outbreak at Kelowna General Hospital, prompting health officials to close the unit to new admissions.

The outbreak was declared on unit 3W at Kelowna General Hospital, which according to the hospital website is the area used for general and thoracic surgery.

“There are six cases (involving) three patients and three staff,” according to Interior Health staff.

“Additional infection control measures have been implemented including closing the unit to new admissions, restricting non-essential visitors, and testing patients and staff.”

They said there’s been no evidence of transmission beyond the unit at this time.

Cases of COVID-19 have been rising sharply across the country in recent weeks and, in turn, outbreaks are again on the rise. The KGH outbreak is one of four in Kelowna and there are two in Vernon.

READ MORE: Medical imaging backlogs plaguing Canadian hospitals, radiologists warn

According to the latest data from the BC Centre for Disease Control, there were 458 cases reported in the Kelowna area between Dec. 31 and Jan. 6, down from 561 the previous week.

Penticton had 264 cases in that same time frame, up from 89 the previous week, while in Vernon case numbers rose to 214 from 112.

Updated local case numbers will be released later Wednesday.

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