4 more COVID-19 deaths in BC Interior care homes over weekend

Photo: Google Maps

Heritage Retirement Residence in West Kelowna

Interior Health has provided an update on eight active COVID-19 outbreaks within long term care homes in the Thompson-Okanagan.

Four more deaths occurred over the weekend; one at Sunnybank in Oliver, two at Noric House in Vernon and one at Heritage Retirement Residence in West Kelowna.

"We are saddened to report an additional four deaths related to COVID-19 over the weekend bringing our total in Interior Health to 50,” said Susan Brown, president and CEO, Interior Health.

“I offer our condolences to the families, caregivers and loved ones of these four people who all passed in long-term care. We are in our most challenging period of this pandemic but hope is on the horizon as we continue rolling out vaccines every day. Now is the time to stay focused on the precautions that limit the spread of this challenging virus.”

In some good news, an outbreak at the McKinney Place long-term care in Oliver has been declared over. There were a total of 78 cases: 55 residents and 23 staff, with 17 deaths connected to this outbreak.

• Brocklehurst Gemstone, Kamloops, has 18 cases: 14 residents and four staff.
• Sunnybank, Oliver, has 34 cases: 26 residents and eight staff, with two deaths.
• Creekside Landing, Vernon, has 32 cases: 18 residents and 14 staff, with one death.
• Noric House, Vernon, has 47 cases: 26 residents and 21 staff, with two deaths
• Heritage Square, Vernon, has 63 cases: 47 residents and 16 staff, with seven deaths
• Heritage Retirement Residence, West Kelowna, has 46 cases: 41 residents and five staff, with three deaths
• Village by the Station, Penticton, has 10 cases: five residents and five staff, with one death
• Mountainview Village, Kelowna, has 16 cases: eight residents and eight staff, with two deaths