Two more Interior residents died from COVID-19, for a total of 57

Photo: Darren Handschuh

Five residents of Vernon's Noric House have died from COVID-19.

Yet another resident of Vernon's Noric House care home has died from COVID-19, while another Interior resident has died in hospital.

The two new deaths bring the total COVID-19 deaths in the Interior to 57. Of these, 39 were residents of long-term care homes. Provincewide, the virus claimed the lives of 13 others in the past 24 hours.

“I know people are fatigued by the impact COVID-19 on our day-to-day lives. However, the ongoing challenges of this pandemic shows us we need to continue to be vigilant and compassionate,” said Susan Brown, president and CEO of Interior Health. “We all need to do our part to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in our communities.”

The single death at Noric House comes after IH announced two residents died there Wednesday. To date, five residents of the care home have died from the virus.

There remains outbreaks declared at seven Interior care homes:

• Brocklehurst Gemstone in Kamloops – 17 residents (one new) and seven staff (two new), one death
• Sunnybank in Oliver – 26 residents and nine staff, two deaths
• Creekside Landing in Vernon – 20 residents and 15 staff (three new), one death
• Williams Lake Seniors Village – one resident and one staff
• Noric House in Vernon – 34 residents (two new) and 21 staff (two new), five deaths
• Heritage Square in Vernon – 47 residents and 20 staff (two new), seven deaths
• Heritage Retirement Residence in West Kelowna – 41 residents and five staff, three deaths

There remains 11 staff at Williams Lake's Cariboo Memorial Hospital who've tested positive for the virus, while the outbreak connected to the Teck Mining operation remains contained to 17 Interior Health residents.

Meanwhile, a staff member at Vernon's Carrington Place retirement residence recently tested positive for the virus, but an outbreak has not been declared there.

Interior Health said Thursday that the response to the COVID-19 outbreak at Oliver's McKinney Place care home, where 17 residents died, is under a formal review. That outbreak, the worst in the Interior Health region, was declared over earlier this week.